A Whole Latte Love
by iJutsu
Summary: TK has never been a huge fan of coffee. To him, it has always been bitter. But when he unexpectedly falls in love with the owner of the new coffee shop, bitter didn't sound so bad anymore. Or so it seemed. / Takari
1. Wake Up and Smell the Coffee

My fellow Takari lovers! I am back again to satisfy my Takari deprivation. And since I've been recently finding myself in Starbucks almost everyday, I've decided to write a fiction that provokes a romance between my two favorite characters placed in a setting no other than a coffee café. Hope you enjoy!

**A Whole Latte Love**

**By iJutsu **

Chapter 1

"You know I don't like coffee."

"Then order a tea or pastry or something."

"Is this a tea party we're going to or…?"

Matt stretched and yawned before he responded to his younger brother's satiric question, "C'mon dude. Tai's sister recently opened up a coffee café and he asked me to go over to meet him and support her. And the best way to show support is to bring a friend, or in her case, a customer. Besides, you should meet her. She's a sweetheart."

TK laughed, "A sweetheart? Related to _Tai_?"

"Yeah I know, hard to believe. They're totally different to be siblings! And, thank God, her hair isn't a huge as Tai's."

"That's a relief," TK yawned, as he kicked a pebble, "So how far is…"

"Here it is!"

TK looked up from the pebble and twitched awkwardly at what he saw. The small building before him looked like it literally popped out of a "tea party princess fairy" movie. The place itself was pink, and almost everywhere were flowers that surrounded it. There were pink, yellow, lavender flowers that led to the doorway. The front yard near the door had white tables covered with a silk pink cover and chairs with a soft pink cushion. Also, a white wooden fence with carved hearts surrounded the building to add a more homely touch (as if it weren't homely enough already). And to top it all off, there was a huge pastel colored sign attached to the front of the building, which both brother's assumed, but refused to believe the cheesiness of it all, was the café's name—A Whole Latte Love.

"I'm losing my dignity just staring at this place," TK blurted out, eyes still fixed upon the café, "Are you sure this is this the place, and NOT our grandmother's house?"

Matt looked at his piece of paper that had the address and looked back up at the café, "Yep, this is the place."

TK looked at his brother with the famous "you got to be kidding me" face. However, to his disappointment, he could tell from Matt's eyes that he wasn't kidding and that this was indeed the place they were eventually going to have to step foot in. He didn't know what he was more surprised about—the café that was horribly abused my every girly aspect known to man, or that there was a person related to Tai that was capable of creating such a thing. He would have never expected this from someone who is related to Tai, Tai being the epitome of "manly pride".

"Stop being such a baby," Matt laughed, ruffling his brother's hair, "You're in college now. You might as well start drinking something that's going to keep you awake. Alright, let's go in. My treat."

TK moved his head away from Matt's touch, "Your treat? Can't say no to that."

They made their way through the pathway and opened the door. The door chimed a sweet melody as it opened, giving TK another sense of lost dignity. And what more, the interior was just as frilly as the outside. The pastel tea cup wallpaper, the white laces, the heart shaped tables, the strong aroma of fruits and coffee—definitely the place for a girls to do each other's hair and share their feelings. The whole place seemed comforting though; he'll have to admit. Especially with the sofas near the window that revealed the back garden. A garden! From the glass sliding door that lead to the back part of the café, TK could see more tables and seats surrounded by garden filled with even more flowers, fountains and no longer to his surprise, butterflies. Right by the counter where one would pay was a huge display of decorated pastries—from cupcakes, to crepes, to scones, this place had almost ever finger food a girl could dream of. He looked over at Matt, who seemed to feel just as awkward as him. Matt cleared his throat as his eyes went fixed over to the counter, where no one was to be seen.

"Looks like we're the only ones here," Matt said, scratching his head in confusion, "Weird, Tai told me to be here by 7…"

"Bro! You made it!"

Matt and TK turned around to the sound of chimes that came from the door to see a jolting, excited Tai. Tai immediately greeted Matt with their handshake and ruffled TK's hair. TK grunted. _"Why do they always do that? I'm only a few years younger!" _As TK fixed his already messy hair, TK grinned and patted Matt's shoulder.

"Sorry it took me a while, man!" Tai laughed, while rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, "Running some errands with Kari. She had to buy more materials for her coffee and treats and such. Poor sissy hasn't gotten much sleep for the past few weeks, so I figured the least I can do is help her out. Speaking of helping out, can you help us unload some of the groceries?"

Yet another chime came from the door. Before them stood a girl who was peeking from the top of the paper bags she was holding. "Tai, can you please hurry up and get the rest of the groceries, we open in an hour!"

"Ah, sorry! Right on it!" He then looked over at Matt as he opened the door, "Matt, help me out yeah? And TK, just take those groceries from her and place it out on the countertop and then just follow us to the car to get the rest."

Bidding each other with nods, Matt and Tai left and headed towards the car. TK then looked over at the girl who was struggling on her feet to hold up the groceries. He snapped back to his senses and quickly made his way to her.

"Here, let me… get that… for you," TK said, with his voice slowly fading away as he stared the girl who placed the groceries into his open arms. His eyes were frozen in awe as he continued to stare at the petite girl before him in, what seemed like, admiration. She had short, brown hair that fell upon her shoulders perfectly. Her eyes where the same shade of brown as her hair, and they glistened as if they were just for him. She wore a white blouse tucked into a yellow pastel skirt that complemented her figure well, despite being covered with an apron. Her face was flushed red from fatigue, which made her look so much more…

"…Cute," TK whispered.

"Pardon?" she panted, wiping the light sweat from her forehead.

TK blushed in embarrassment from realizing what he said. He was probably as red as she was, "A-ah, nothing. I'll put this away now."

He quickly turned around and walked towards the counter, face still red hot. The girl stared at him funny, shrugged and walked out to meet up with Tai and Matt. Once he heard the door close and the melody come to an end, he huffed out a breath as if he's been holding it in since she was there. His heart was beating rapidly, which didn't at all seem to help his breathing. He placed his hand over his heart as if to steady his heart beat, and looked towards the door that she just walked out of. _"W-what the hell?"_ he thought in confusion. It wasn't like him to lose his cool like that, especially with people. But just with a mere 10 seconds looking at that girl, he lost touch with stability. She was just so cute. Cute. TK's face warmed up yet again. He ruffled his hair just as the other boys did in annoyance.

"Smart move, TK!" he whispered in sarcasm, "What if she heard you…"

The damned chimes from the door rung again, scaring TK half to death. Tai, Matt and the cute girl walked in with more grocery bags in their arms. TK straightened his posture before they could see him in his bothered state. Tai was the first to speak, as expected.

"Thanks for all the help, TK…NOT!" Tai stated seriously, and then laughed, "Just playing, but seriously, what took you?"

TK stared at him in confusion. It seemed like merely seconds ago that the girl gave him the groceries to set aside. Or was it a bit longer than that and he didn't notice? _"How long was I in here?" _he thought in great confusion. He cleared his throat and avoided making eye contact with the girl in order to prevent even more strange feelings.

"Sorry, I got a phone call," he replied as cool as he could, "Is there any more left?"

"Yep, there are actually two more bags. Figured we'd give you at least something to do! Here, and lock the doors when you're done," Tai said, throwing his car keys towards TK.

TK caught them, and quickly walked out of the café, still avoiding any eye contact with the girl. He couldn't afford to make a fool out of himself, especially in front of Tai, who has the horrible tendency to hold his "moments" against him. He sped his way to the car with the open trunk and grabbed the remaining grocery bags. He closed the trunk and locked the doors with his free hand, and the moment he turned around to head back, both Matt and Tai stood before him. Tai's face looked troubled. He raised a brow.

"What's up?" TK asked.

"We have to go back to the store and buy part 2 of Kari's shopping list," Tai sighed as he pulled out a piece of paper that seemed to have at least a million things written in it, "And we have to be back before the café opens so we have to hurry. Matt will accompany me. Keep her company, alright?"

TK blinked. _"Keep her company?_" he thought oddly, _"Who's 'her'? Could it be…" _he paused and thought about the girl just encountered, "_Nah, it can't be. She can't be his sister, can she?" _He couldn't imagine that girl to be Tai's younger sister—they looked nothing alike, despite their really brown hair. Although, TK didn't really get the chance to look at her so he couldn't assume much. Snapping back to life, he handed back Tai his car keys and he stayed at his spot until the car drove off. When the car was finally out of sight, he took a deep breath and slowly made his way back into the world of pink. He entered the café and looked around. The girl was nowhere to be seen. He shifted the groceries more comfortably in his arms and walked closer to the counter. She wasn't there either. TK placed down the groceries next to the others in the counter and looked over it. He saw a shadow move over at the room (what seemed to be a kitchen) behind the counter. TK became hesitant. He didn't know whether to just walk in or to knock (even if he couldn't really knock since the "door" was literally just shiny hanging beads) before entering. He paused for a moment and suddenly became annoyed with himself worked up over a girl he only knew for a few seconds. Sighing, he made his way to the back of the counter and slowly pushed aside the beads. He then saw her. The girl was merely within arm's reach in front of him, although with her back towards him. She seemed to not notice his presence, for she seemed to be struggling to open some sort of bag. He even heard her constant grunts and huffs of annoyance. Now curious, he entered as quietly as he could and stepped closer behind her. Literally being a foot away, he looked over her shoulder to see what she was having a hard time opening. It was a bag of flour. She was trying to open the bag while pulling at the middle on both sides like a bag of chips, but obviously, that wasn't working well for her. His eyes glanced towards the bag and he saw a dotted line along the side of the bag that indicated where to rip. TK couldn't help but smile softly (probably to hold in a laugh) at her attempts to open something so simple. He reached over her shoulder to point out the line. Not the best decision made that day.

"I think you should rip the…"

"Eek!" the girl yelped in utter shock as she accidentally—and definitely unexpectedly—popped the bag of flour open, causing the flour to just poof all over his and her face and the air around them.

TK, too, was caught off guard. He had absolutely no intentions of scaring her. She must have been rally focused on that bag if she was to get scared over just a 'hello' and a mere hand over the shoulder. It then got to him—she had every right to be scared! He was basically a stranger to her and to just creep into the kitchen and look at what she's doing while reaching over her shoulder to help her open a bag was just plain disturbing. Simply asking to come in would have saved both him and her a fluffy mess. She swiftly turned around and stared at him with big, scared eyes. He returned are more guilty look, literally feeling pain the longer he looked at her, and immediately became apologetic.

"I am SO sorry about that," he stammered, as he looked around frantically for something that would help them get cleaned up. Luckily he found a small towel lying besides a bowl of water on the table besides them, "H-here take this."

Still staring at him with confused eyes, she took the towel and wiped her face with it. TK let out a sigh of relief and rested his hand upon the table to support his uneasy balance. Although, as if there wasn't anything else that could happen, he lost balance due to the table's weak structure. The table couldn't handle his weight, thus resulting the table falling to its side and the bowl of water spiraling up in the air. To add more to his misfortune, the bowl went straight down towards—he even saw this coming—the poor girl's head. The girl gasped and shivered as the water dripped down. She slowly pushed the bowl up from her eyes with one finger and stared at TK with the same big and scared eyes she had when the flour popped. TK stood in front of her even more apologetically and felt ten times more embarrassed. His face was becoming warm, and his nervousness was clearly visible. Their eyes locked and a strange sensation traveled up his body. Suddenly, he started to feel less tense. Her soft brown eyes eased the anxiety that surrounded them. The air started to feel less thin as he got lost deeper into her auburn eyes. The girl tilted her head a bit, seeing how dazed TK appeared to be. TK noticed her small movement and snapped right back to his miserable reality.

"I'm sorry. I, uh," TK started shyly, rubbing his neck while looking at the mess he caused, "I usually don't lose my cool like that. I'm really not that clumsy, I…I'd, you know, help but…you know, I might cause another…you know."

She stayed quiet, staring at him harder with eyes that now gave TK discomfort. Her silence was not helping him feel better about what happened. He made a fool out of himself towards a girl he only knew for a few seconds. What bothered him the most was how a girl he barely knows could mess him up so much in his head. He was confused with the feeling; it became annoyingly unbearable. TK let out a huge breath out of frustration and covered his face with one hand in awkwardness. A soft chuckle of some sort left his lips. This whole incident suddenly became humorous to him.

"I'm sorry," TK said, rubbing his forehead with his palm.

The girl, much to TK's surprise, started to laugh. He looked up from his hand to reveal a girl laughing cutely at him. He raised a brow in puzzlement of why she started to laugh. Of all responses possible, she decided to laugh. A wave of relief hit him, for her laughter was way better than her getting angry with him. Her laughter started to fade off. She placed one hand on her hip to calm down and slowly took the bowl off her head. Once the bowl was completely off, she looked up at TK and gleamed him a beautiful smile that almost gave him a heart attack on the spot.

"Calm down, you look as if I'm going to murder you!" she said in a voice that chimed like bells to TK's ears, "It's totally fine. This is probably the most fun I've had all day," she then dusted off her hands and held one out towards TK, "I'm Kari, by the way. Tai's sister."

TK stared at her funny as he reached for her hand and shook it lightly. _"So she IS his sister,"_ TK thought to himself in surprise. He never would have guessed that someone so girly and neat could be related to Tai, the "Master of Burps". Kari titled her head again and returned to him the same funny look.

"What?" she asked, releasing their grip and touching her face, "Do I have anything on my face?" Kari laughed at what she said and bonked herself on the forehead, "Well, besides the flour?"

"N-no, it's not that," TK replied with a small laugh, "I'm just surprised. Never thought you'd be Tai's sister."

"That's funny," Kari said back, tapping her chin, "People usually say I'm basically a spitting image of him, so that's actually refreshing to hear! Nice to know that someone doesn't think I look like my turkey head of a brother."

TK couldn't help but laugh at Kari's turkey analysis of Tai's hair, "Yeah, how _does_ he get it that big?"

"That's still a mystery, even to all us family members. He just wakes up and poof! His hair becomes perfectly shaped with volume," she again laughed that beautiful laugh, "I swear, there's no other logical reason for that to happen other than witch craft."

Her sense of humor was sinking into him like a craving that has just been fulfilled. He couldn't help but stare at her in admiration. The sensations were becoming overwhelming and he didn't understand why he even got those feelings to begin with. He's seen a handful of pretty girls before, but Kari—she was different and he couldn't put his finger on why. Their laughter soon faded. Kari looked around and pouted.

"Looks like a lot to clean up," she said slowly, then glanced over at the clock, "And I have about an hour and half before the café opens. I haven't even started brewing any coffee…"

"Ah, let me help!" TK interrupted with a grin, "I'll clean up here while you carry on with your other duties. It's the least I can do. Oh, and I'm TK. Just realized I haven't really introduced myself."

Kari again gleamed that radiant smile that made his heart skip a beat. She let out a small laugh, "Nice to meet you, TK. Are you sure it's safe to leave you alone in the kitchen?"

"If nothing explodes in the next few minutes, then I'm sure it's safe," TK responded jokingly, flashing out his infamous grin. She laughed, which made him feel quite successful.

"You're funny. I like that," Kari said before pushing the beads aside and leaving the kitchen, "Alright then, I'll make sure of that. I'll be by the counter if you need me!"

The moment she stepped out of the kitchen, he slumped down to the floor and leaned back against the fallen table. His heart was weighing him down. Upon taking a deep breath in and out, he reflected on what just happened. He then smacked himself on the head. _"Really, TK? 'If nothing explodes in the next few minutes?' You're such a dork!" _He sighed and realized that mocking himself isn't going to do him much justice. TK looked through the beads and saw Kari wiping her hair with a towel. His heart yet again fluttered. He sighed again and looked away.

"What is this feeling?" he whispered desperately.

Knowing that sitting on the wet floor covered in flour like a fool wasn't going to do him any good, he finally stood up and grabbed the mop that hung on the wall besides him. While mopping the floor, he heard soft hums coming from outside the kitchen. The air was starting to become filled with the aroma of coffee and the sweet melody of hums that seemed to be escaping the lips of an angel. He peeked through the opening of the bead curtains and saw Kari cutely humming to the song that came from the stereo she had just turned on. A blush formed upon his cheeks and he quickly turned back to his duties, moping faster than before. _"What. Is. Going. On?" _TK thought frustratingly with a flustered, hot face, _"Why do I suddenly feel so weak and bothered?" _He mopped the floor even faster, to even out with his rapid heartbeats. _"Could it be that I'm…"_ TK then shook his head in disbelief, _"N-no, can't be." _He never gets nervous, especially around girls. Very seldom does he get nervous towards girls he shows even the slightest interest to, which made him feel even more confused on why Kari was just so different, so odd, so joyful, so graceful, so…

"…Perfect," TK whispered, completing his thoughts.

He placed the mop back into the bucket and pushed it towards the cabinet. Confused on why he felt so sluggish, he sat down on the chair and stared dully at the fallen table. _"I thought I was here just to get coffee," _TK said in his mind, dumbfounded on how all this even happened. It started with groceries and then suddenly—boom. Sparks of unknown emotions, along with water and flour.

TK stood up and fixed the table. He figured he'd fix it now before any other mishaps happen. Once he finished, he peeked through the beads again and saw Kari tying her hair up. She then stretched and turned around. TK swiftly turned away, embarrassed of the idea that Kari might think he was staring at her. He then twitched, knowing how obvious his motions were. _"Of course she noticed you staring at her, you idiot!" _TK thought while mentally beating himself up.

Kari, once she noticed TK, spoke almost instantly, "Oh! Are you finished?"

"Yeah, just finished!" he called back. His heart pounded yet again.

"You can come join me here if you'd like," she said nicely as she turned back around to face the coffee brewers, "Don't think it'd be much fun staying in the kitchen all day!"

"Y-yeah," he repeated more quietly and slowly. _"Keep your cool, TK. Keep your cool."_

Finally, he pushed asides the beads and stepped out, once again being just a mere foot away from Kari's back. This time, Kari sensed his presence and turned around joyfully. His panicked heart pounded again. If it weren't enough for him to handle, she flashed him a smile.

"Coffee's almost done," she said happily, "And I'm finishing up some creamers, so we could probably have one together before the café opens."

"Oh, I don't drink coffee," TK started, looking away with a short, embarrassed laugh.

Kari's smile then faded. She stared at him stupidly, eyes fixed on him like a hawk. Her eyebrow raised and her expression made TK feel even more like a fool. He upset her, and they both know it. This was discomfort as it's best for TK. He couldn't find enough will power to move. Kari, much to his luck, let out a huff and girlishly placed her hand on her hip.

"You don't drink coffee?" Kari said in the most appalled tone, "How can you not drink coffee?"

"The taste is just…odd," TK responded almost shyly. He braced himself for her next reaction. She stared at him again in surprise.

"You're crazy!" she said, this time with a laugh, "That's why there's creamers! Hence, lattes! I mean, I'll understand you not liking dark coffee itself, but seriously? You got to be joking."

Her laughter suddenly started to make TK feel strangely comfortable around her. He laughed along, "Sorry, but I…," He then grinned mischievously, "…don't have a whole latte love for coffee."

Her mouth opened in shock as she let out a sarcastic laugh, "Oh no, you did _not_ just mock my café's name!"

Her cute reactions made it nearly impossible for TK to stop teasing her, "If there was anything more cheesy than a door singing a lullaby to people every time someone walked in, it would be the name of this café."

Obviously knowing he was just joking around with her, Kari couldn't resist from laughing. She playfully pushed TK on the chest, "Oh shush, it's cute!"

"Cheesy," TK corrected with a grin.

"CUTE," Kari corrected back with a pointed finger, showing she was speaking in an 'as matter of fact' manner, "Latte and love—it's my two most favorite things! Put those together and it's magic. It's just so cozy! Ah, I love it. Doesn't it all just have a comforting vibe to it?"

TK looked around and pouted his lips, pretending to be impressed. "If by comforting, you mean comfort for teenage girls who love to read 'Chicken Soup for the Soul' after a drastic break up with their boyfriends, then…yeah, sure."

Kari let out something between a scoff and a short laugh, "You are such a jerk! I'll have you know that ever since I opened up this café, most compliments I get is from its name."

The pride that sparkled in Kari's eyes made it so much harder for TK to resist from teasing her, "Hm. And are most of those compliments from girls?"

She paused for a moment. Her face then dropped in defeat, "…Yes."

"I rest my case," TK grinned proudly.

"Hey, sometimes cheesiness is cute," Kari reassured as she turned back around to pour more coffee beans into the second brewer.

TK pierced his lip and nodded. He scanned around the café, and yet another question popped out to break the silence, "So, how did you name this place exactly? Because 'latte' just so happened to coincidentally sound like 'lot of' or…?"

"Actually, no. I named it that way because getting together for a cup of coffee or lattes brings out love and happiness in people," she then closed the brewer, turned back to him and gave him a sly smile as she playfully poked his nose, "Which is why, you sir, are oh so bitter."

"Better bitter than cheesy," TK chuckled, trying hard not to show his vulnerability of losing this battle to both Kari and his nervous, rapid beating heart.

"That's like saying it's better to be bitter and alone than to be cheesy and in love! No way! I would never go down the bitter road, especially since love is such a beautiful thing. When people are happy and/or in love, it gives me such a warm feeling…"

Kari slowly lost her train of thought as a sweet, innocent smile formed upon her lips. TK, as well, started to lose touch with reality. The longer her stared and got lost in her smile, the more his senses became dazed. He couldn't even find enough strength to open his mouth. She then looked down with that stunning smile still planted on her mouth, and softly touched her lips in the shyest motion. A small blush even formed upon her cheeks. Kari's cuteness was becoming too overwhelmingly empowering for TK. It seemed as though something as simple as love was enough to make Kari genuinely happy. He felt a warm sensation travel through his veins—a warm and happy feeling. It was such a new experience for TK to feel happy over just a girl's smile, but he liked it. Eventually, he found himself smiling back down at her with the same amount of sincerity. Kari seemed to notice, as if she had felt his smile. She looked up and laughed shyly.

"S-sorry, dozed off a bit there," she said, blushing.

"Spoken from a true hopeless romantic, apparently," TK responded with a soft laugh while leaning against the counter.

"Very!" Kari chirped, face lightening up, "In fact, I'm all for those super cheesy, lovey dovey type of things. Love songs, flowers, spontaneous surprises—if I'm surrounded by those things, then I'm good for the day."

"Wow," TK said, almost impressed, "You're like an exact replica of this café, except, well, you're human."

"Why thank you," Kari grinned, proudly taking his statement as a compliment, "This place has become my second home—a place to just escape all the stress from reality and to just…feel loved," her smile then widened, causing TK's poor heart to skip a beat, "And that is my goal: to make every customer feel the same."

TK paused for a bit, "To feel loved?"

"Exactly," she turned her attention back to the brewer and pushed the 'keep warm' button. She then turned her head towards TK and gave him a wink, "Starting with you."

TK felt a rush of blood travel up to his cheeks. It was as if butterflies flew from her wink and entered his nervous system. "_Starting with you" _repeated as echoes in his head. Her sweet voice, her adorable motion, her charm—it was becoming irresistible. _"What did she mean by that? 'Starting with you'?" _he thought wildly, face growing even warmer at the thought of Kari showing the slightest of interest in him. She gave him another smile before turning her head back towards the brewers. TK felt weak in the knees, and if it weren't for the counter he was leaning against, he would of already been dead on the floor. Never before has he experienced such feelings towards a girl before. But this girl, she gave off a first impression that made TK feel like he has known her for years. He then clenched edge of the counter tightly, deep in thought, "_Could it be that I have feelings for—"_

"Hey, kiddos! We're back!"

Both TK and Kari jolted in surprise upon seeing Tai and Matt enter through the door. The door's melody faded, and both boys quickly placed the bag of groceries onto the counter. They let out a deep breath of relief and stretched as though the bag of groceries gave them a hell of a work out. Kari looked through the bags and her face sparkled with happiness. TK looked away as quickly as he could to avoid any more mishaps with his emotions.

"Thank you so much!" Kari said joyfully.

She scooted her way past TK to get to Tai. Her aroma circled around him and that made TK's plan of calming down his heart pointless. The sweet, strong scent of vanilla surrounded him as she walked past; it became nearly impossible to ignore her. He glanced over to see Kari give her older brother a tight embrace. His face then dropped a bit, and a whole new different sensation occurred. This time, it was not pleasant. It was something between disappointed and angry. Realizing that, TK then twitched in annoyance. _"Jealous?" _TK thought out bluntly in disgust, _"H-how do I feel jealous? That's her brother for Pete's sake!"_ He shook his head to get his head back straight, but as expectedly, it didn't work.

"I'm sorry if I caused any trouble," Kari said apologetically while looking up at her older brother, arms still wrapped around him.

"No worries, baby sis!" Tai laughed, ruffling her hair playfully, "How much time do we have left?"

Their voices became distinct as TK stared and wondered: _"For siblings that are so different from each other, they are oddly close." _He figured he should say something now, because Tai makes a comment on how quiet he was being. Unfortunately, Tai seemed to have beaten him to him. Tai looked at TK and grinned.

"So I see you've met TK?" Tai asked Kari.

"Hm?" Kari blinked as she let go of the hug and looked at TK, "Oh, yeah! Mr. Bitter!"

Matt couldn't help but snort out a laugh. TK glared at him, causing him to immediately shut up. Tai also couldn't help but laugh at the random nickname suddenly given to his friend. TK felt a bit flustered. He looked at Kari, who seemed to be laughing along with Tai, much to his embarrassment. Suddenly, she noticed TK's stare. She gave him a playful smile to assure him that she was just joking, but the smile itself was enough to make him immediately forget about the incident in the first place. His heart just wouldn't stay still. Before he could even smile back, Tai once again "interrupted". He patted Kari's head.

"Time to get to work! You have to open soon," Tai stated while stretching, "Well guys, I'm off! Got to head to work now, too. Good luck today, baby sis! See you tonight."

He then gave Kari one last hug—again contributing to TK's 'jealousy'—and nodded to both Matt and TK a farewell. The moment Tai left the building and once the melody came to an end, Matt clapped his hand sharply and placed on the most serious game-face. Matt was never really the one to go through awkward silences; TK was beyond thankful for that.

"Okay! So what do you need help on, Kari?"

TK was amazed on how easily Matt was able to talk to Kari. Despite the fact that Matt did know Kari before him, it was still pretty strange to TK how he, being more outgoing than Matt, had to build up courage just to say one word to the girl. Kari looked over at Matt and shook her hands in front of her.

"No, no, please don't worry about that," Kari insisted, "You both are my customers, it would be so totally rude of me to ask for help."

Matt looked around, "So you work alone?"

Kari blinked but then laughed, "Oh no, I work with my friend Yolei. A friend who just so happens to be late, but yeah. It's just the two of us right now. It's only been a week since I've opened this café, so I'm hoping to get new employees as the months end. Oh!" Her face gleamed with an idea, "If you have the time, it'd be great if you can spread the word that I'm in desperate need of workers."

"Take TK!" Matt joked, embarrassing TK to the max, "He's also in desperate need of learning how to be productive!"

Kari laughed, "Mr. Bitter working _here_?" She glanced over at TK and gave him yet another beautiful smile that triggered the butterflies in him, "That would be a miracle."

TK had no idea how to interpret that. Did she mean it in a sarcastic way where it seemed nearly impossible for someone like him to work at a coffee shop? Or did she mean it where it actually would be a miracle for her if TK worked with her? Endless thoughts clustered up his mind, and he had no idea how to stop it. He just realized he hasn't even said a word since Tai and Matt arrived. He had to talk now, or else he'd give off an impression to Kari that he wasn't outgoing. And he most definitely did not want that. He opened his mouth to speak, but once again, someone beat him to it.

"Hey!" Matt said suddenly, "My band will be reuniting in a few weeks, so if anything, we could perform here if you'd like."

"If I'd like?" Kari said excitedly, "Of course I would! In fact, I'd _love_ that! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

She then ran up to him and gave Matt a hug. TK twitched. _"Am I the only one who isn't going to get a hug?" _TK thought, almost childishly. Trying not to let his thoughts get to him, and trying to not lose another chance to speak, he cleared his throat. Kari and Matt looked over at him. This was his chance.

"I…"

"KARII!"

TK's head dropped in defeat. _"Tell me why I saw that coming?" _TK thought with a pathetic laugh. Matt, Kari and TK looked over at the door to see a purple-headed girl jolt in with the energy of a thousands horses. Immediately, she ran over to Kari and nearly squeezed her to her death. Kari gasped for air the moment the other girl let go. The girl bowed many times apologetically.

"Super sorry I'm late!" she panted, "I missed by bus, so I was like screw it, I'll run to the café! Then before I knew it, once I started running, I saw the second bus drive past me! So I ran back to wait for the third bus, but the damn thing took forever to come so I decided yet again to run here but then—"

"I got it, Yolei," Kari interrupted, almost dizzy with her words, "Just get the creamers and flavors ready."

"Ay, ay Captain!" Yolei saluted before running off to the kitchen.

Yolei went behind the counter and saw TK. She eyed him funny, almost as if he was examining him. TK looked at her almost nervously and gave a small smile. Yolei continued to suspiciously stare at him, which made him feel beyond uncomfortable. She finally stopped and let out a short "huh" before pushing the beads aside and entering the kitchen. _"Okay?" _TK thought in confusion. He turned around and saw that Kari was already beside him. He almost lost balance.

"Go sit and relax, Mr. Bitter! We open in a couple minutes, so I have to get things ready."

"R-right," TK coughed, making his way past Kari and towards the table in which his brother was already sitting at. He sat in front of him and nearly slumped in his seat. Her gave Matt such a dull look. Matt understood.

"Sorry if I embarrassed you, man," Matt apologized with a small laugh, scratching his head.

"You didn't," TK lied, in attempt to keep his dignity stable, "I'm just tired. Haven't been up this early on a weekend in a while."

"Huh, well, today's just one of those days that are worth waking up early for," Matt responded while stretching, "At least we're helping out a friend. By the way, nice nickname. Mr. Bitter?"

"Oh, shut up," TK responded obviously embarrassed, "She just calls me that because I just so happen to not like coffee."

"Figures. Well, you better buy one today. It'd be sort of messed up if you didn't."

"Yeah, yeah I know."

A mere 5 seconds of awkward silence surrounded the two brothers, and Matt couldn't handle much more of it, "So what do you think of her?"

Such a blunt question made TK's emotions spark up like fireworks. Matt's simple question seemed more like a pop quiz for TK, where if he gets the answer wrong, his life was ruined. He slightly panicked. If he didn't answer soon, Matt would obviously think something is up. _"What do I think of her?_" TK asked himself, repeating the question in his mind. Throughout the whole day, that was all he was trying to figure out. With all the sudden emotions and sensations, TK still couldn't make up what he was feeling towards Kari. He then thought of her smile, her laughs, and her smell and suddenly he found himself turning red on the spot. Matt raised a brow suspiciously. _"Crap," _TK thought, _"I need to come up with something quick." _TK, to the best of his ability, regained his cool and shrugged.

"She's cool."

She's. Cool. That was the best TK could come up with in a matter of a few seconds. But Kari being cool was beyond an understatement, and he knew that for a fact. He felt a bit disappointed at his choice of words; as if he indirectly insulted her. Matt stared at TK oddly for a bit and just smiled. He stood up before TK could realize his mischievous, 'I know something but won't tell you' grin. TK looked up at Matt.

"Wow, talk about morning people. Look, here comes customers already," Matt said amazed, hearing the melody of the door and seeing about 3 girls walk in, "I better get in line before it gets too long. You should too, we have to leave soon anyways. Our dentist appointment is in an hour. Might as well get something sweet before our mouths become puffy and numb."

TK shivered at the thought of having to go the dentist later. But he shook off his thoughts and lined up behind Matt. The three girls ordered in a group, so Matt and TK were right after them. As he waited for the people to order, TK sheepishly looked at the ground and thought over the question Matt asked him. _"Seriously, what DO I think of her?" _TK thought, again in desperation, _"I… feel as though my heart is running a marathon whenever I see her. Her smile has that sort of appeal that shines up the whole room," _Suddenly, TK became neutral with his thoughts, _"And her laugh, it sounds so adorable and the way her face lights up whenever she hears something she likes—man, that's cute. And she has that sense of humor that most girls are afraid to show. Talk about outspoken. It's great…" _His eyes then widened as he realized what he was thinking. He came to a conclusion that shocked him like no other. He was in—

"Here, Mr. Bitter!"

TK looked up at the unexpected voice that came from in front of him. He blinked. It was Kari! He was already at the counter! He didn't even realize how fast the line went, and how he even managed to walk towards the counter without tripping over his thoughts. He stared at Kari with such a dazed face, but she didn't seem to notice. Kari smiled at him and handed him a medium-sized pink paper cup and covered it with a top engraved with hearts. TK stared at the drink in her hands and then looked back up at her, even more confused.

"What is that?"

"I told you, my goal is to make people feel loved, especially with the lattes I make. Especially you! So here, it's on me."

TK continued to stare at her with the same confused eyes. She then laughed, grabbed his hand and wrapped it around the cup. Her touch sent an overwhelming, powerful, tingly sensation through his body that caused his heart to beat even faster than before. That was his limit; he couldn't take it anymore. He was no longer in denial.

"Don't worry, it's not plain, so it won't be bitter like you," she joked, releasing her hand from his, "I flavored it with my very own special creamer! And if you guess it right, I'll give you another free drink the next time you visit! Deal?"

"Deal," TK said almost immediately, not wanting Kari to notice how emotionally unstable he was becoming.

With just a smile and a nod, he turned around and allowed the next customer to take their turn with Kari. TK then quickly walked outside, only to see Matt already out there waiting for him. His heart was still beating rapidly, his mind was still in a daze, and by this point, it was almost obvious to Matt how TK was feeling. However, Matt's expression seemed more worried than it did surprised. TK slowly made his way to Matt, eyes still fixed blankly at his surroundings before him. 

"You alright?"

TK let out a breath that sounded like he's been holding it in forever. He stared at his cup and felt it's warmth travel from his hands to his body. He looked back up at his surroundings and his eyes snapped back to life the moment he figured out the meaning behind all his crazy emotions:

"Dude, I'm in love."

**TBC**

Okay, so bear with me. Nothing exciting has happened much in the first chapter, but that is what the future chapters are for and I really hoped this first chapter at least got you hooked on to it! Also, I understand that this chapter is fairly long, but it was just a way for me to provide readers a mutual understanding of how the character's feelings. I can assure you that the future chapters won't be as long! (Unless, of course, you guys like that O.o)

Read and review, please! It keeps me super motivated to bring quicker updates. Love you all!

R&R!


	2. Chocolate Bananas

Thank you everyone for your kind reviews and your patience. I'm not going to ensure super quick updates. College has got me super busy lately. Recent budget cuts have been stressing me out like no other. Any other college students here digging for coins out of their couch just for a textbook? Haha! (Or instead, I should ask: any other college students here still a die-hard Digimon fan and still in love with TK and Kari like I am? I have no shame!) But yeah, I wouldn't want to rush a chapter. I'd much rather write one when I have the time to thoroughly think it through. Ah, didn't realize I'm writing about myself as opposed to continuing the story. Oops! Anyways, thank you guys again for the love and patience and I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

**A Whole Latte Love**

By iJutsu

**Chapter 2**

Matt just smiled.

"You don't say," Matt replied sarcastically, with a smug grin.

His sarcasm made TK feel awfully dumb, seeing how easy Matt was able to figure it out. TK rubbed his neck as if he sprained it, and gave Matt an almost sympathetic look, "Was it that obvious?"

"Dude, you wouldn't stop looking at her, you get so red when she talks to you, you smile whenever she does and—bet you thought I didn't notice—your eyes were filled with envy when she hugged me," he then laughed, nothing how much more red his little brother's face was getting, "Hell, hearts might as well have been floating out of your head."

TK glared at him with both anger and embarrassment, and Matt's only response to that was a laugh and a shrug that indicated his way of saying: 'glare at me all you want, I'm still right'. TK's glare then softened down to a sigh as they started to walk. He stared down at his coffee cup, lifelessly watching the smoke slowly seep through the heart-shaped opening. Her angelic voice suddenly rang in his head: "I flavored it with my very own special creamer! And if you guess it right, I'll give you another free drink the next time you visit! Deal?" He had just remembered their little deal. The warmth from the cup he held seemed to lessen and if there was anything more TK didn't like about coffee, it would be cold coffee. He looked at Matt, who was scrolling through his phone and taking long sips of his tall cup of coffee. TK felt a bit confused on how Matt—or anyone for that matter—could drink something so odd so casually. He twitched. It sort of annoyed him. _"Look at him," _he thought, irked, _"Drinking his coffee like…like a coffee drinker." _TK looked back at his own cup again. He stared stupidly at the cup and found himself getting even more peeved the longer he examined it. He obviously doesn't have enough will power to take a mere sip of the hot drink. Kari's voice again ran in circles through his mind: 'I'll give you another free drink the next time you visit'. The words 'the next time you visit' echoed endlessly in his head. His eyes then revealed some life.

"_So she already expects another visit from me?" _The sparkle in his eyes then died down, _"But then again, she's probably just encouraging me to come back as a customer to help her business. But!" _His eyes went back to life, _"The drink is free! S-so she couldn't possibly be expecting me to come back as a customer if I don't have to pay for anything!" _As presumed, he frowned again, _"But that's ONLY if I guess the flavor correctly. So this must just be a promotion to bring in more customers. Oh, but then again, what if I was the only one she did this to…or has she done this before…ugh!" _The vicious debate going on in his head was literally making TK heat up in anger. His eye twitched awkwardly, his body shook and his stare was mentally destroying the poor cup with his laser eye vision. His next meet with that Kari character depended solely on the flavor within that damned cup of coffee and he refused not to let go of that chance. Matt sensed a dark, frustrated aura besides him. He looked over at his poor, distressed younger brother. Then, he raised a brow in worry.

"Hey, man, you alrigh—"

"Ecstatic!" TK almost yelled, stopping in his tracks to stare at his brother to let the flames of is irritation cool down. Out of frustration, he put the cup of lips and took in a huge gulp of the mystery-flavored latte. Matt's eyes of worry shifted to eyes that basically read: 'What the hell?' The moment he swallowed the beverage, he started coughing uncontrollably not because of the taste of the drink, but because he swallowed way too fast…when the coffee was still hot.

Obviously not having any power to prevent himself from making fun of him, he burst out laughing, "Dude! What's going on with you?"

"N-nothing!" TK coughed, before staring awkwardly at Matt, "Why?"

Matt crossed his arms and raised his brow in disbelief. TK stared at him for a while, controlling his coughs. His face then fell once he accepted that he was denial. Matt was right…again.

"I don't know, dude," TK admitted sadly, staring pathetically at the now stained cup in his hands, "I never felt like this before."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"That's the thing!" TK spat back instantly, frustration finding its way back into his system, "I don't know if it's bad or if I like it or…ugh! I…I just don't know." He then let out a long sigh, "I don't she's even feeling like this right now."

Matt actually couldn't help but stare at TK in pity. Matt looked down at his own drink, and also let out a sigh. A sense of shame flowed through Matt as he looked back up. _"I can't tell him now," _he sighed, _"It'll ruin him." _Keeping secrets from each other was not easy. They rarely lied to one another; almost as if they had their own brotherly code. Shaking his thoughts out of his head, he gave TK a comforting, yet almost guilty, smile.

"Cheer up, man," he said, ruffling his hair for about the millionth time today, "On the bright side, this is the first time I saw you drink coffee without hesitation. It must've been good."

TK stared at him oddly and again back at his drink. _"Oh yeah," _he thought, now realizing that he completely forgot about his latte, _"What WAS the flavor of this thing?" _Apparently he swallowed the drink too fast to even determine the flavor (or in his case, his next visit with Kari). What a waste.

"Y-yeah," TK replied, examining the cup once more.

_Now_ his hesitation started to kick in. He never really had the best experience with coffee, for the last time he tried it, it caused him sever stomachaches and countless jittery nights. Although, to his defense, it was just plain dark coffee. Figuring he had to man up—and stop getting all worked up and girly over just a latte—he slowly placed the cup back to his lips once they started walking. He took in a small sip just for the taste. His eyes widened slightly as he pulled the cup slowly away form his lips. A negligible look of awe and satisfaction came over his face. The taste was not as bad as he expected it to be. It was actually pretty sweet and fruity; strange for a coffee drink! Again, this was his first latte, so he didn't really know what quite to expect. The taste gave him the same warm feeling he got when he first laid eyes on Kari. It was as sweet as her smile, and it had a smooth, distinct taste, just like her charming personality. However, he couldn't seem to make out the true taste of it. The drink itself wasn't overwhelmingly sweet, which TK liked. Just like cheesiness, he wasn't a big fan of sugary treats. An impressed 'hm' came from his lips, causing Matt to look at him. TK looked back at Matt and handed his latte towards him.

"Try this," TK stated simply, eyes shining in curiosity, "And tell me what it tastes like."

Matt stared strangely at his younger brother, who now looked like he was a toddler, "Um…sure?" he said slowly upon taking the drink from TK. He was a bit confused on why TK would get a drink that he doesn't even know the flavor of, but he saved himself from furthermore confusion by just accepting it.

TK stared at Matt even more anxiously as seconds past. Matt took a sip of the mysterious latte and licked his lips as if it were to help him figure out the flavor more easily. Matt then smiled; causing TK's unable to hold in his curiosity any longer.

"So?" TK asked impatiently, "How was it?"

"It's good. Tastes like chocolate and banana. Why?"

TK stared at Matt in amazement of how fast and effortless he was able to come up with the flavor. _"Banana! THAT was what I was tasting!" _TK thought in excitement, _"A chocolate-banana latte—who would've thought?" _Now that he knows the flavor to the latte that was his key for his next visit with Kari, he became even more excited and forgot about the troubled feelings he felt just minutes ago.

"No reason," TK grinned, answering his brother while taking back his drink, "No reason at all."

Matt didn't even bother to ask; he just shook his head and let out a chuckle. When they continued to once again walk, TK's smile widened, and he even took another sip of the love-infested latte. He finally got the reason to see her. A pretty lame reason, but it was still a reason nonetheless and that was all he needed.

_**Later that night, **_

"Dude, it's almost 10 at night. You're still heading out?"

Matt turned around to see TK, who was already in his sleeping attire. TK yawned and scratched his head, waiting for Matt's response. Matt put on his leather jacket and grabbed his keys before speaking.

"Just going to see Tai real quick," he said coolly, as he slipped on his shoes, "Apparently he had issues with his boss at work and he wants to rant to me about it. And you know Tai when he holds in his feelings."

TK laughed in agreement and gave him a 'I'm sorry for you' look.

"Alright then, night bro."

"Night."

TK walked away into the hallway towards his bedroom. Matt waited until he was completely out of sight before he turned back around and left the apartment. He quietly closed the door behind him and let out a heavy, sad sigh. The awful feeling of guilt weighted him down as he walked down the stairs. If there were anything Matt hated—and that was a lot of things—it would be lying to someone he cares about, especially his brother. Matt tried to create some reverse psychology where he was doing this for TK's own good, but it didn't work. He still felt bad. However, he figured it just had to be done and that he would cause no harm if he planned on eventually telling the truth to TK anyways. Letting out another sigh, he entered his car and drove off. In order to take his mind off things, he blasted up some rock music. Again, it didn't work. He fixed his hands upon the wheel and thought deeply, _"If I had known TK was so easily…then I wouldn't have even…ugh. I mean, it's not like Kari has a disease or anything! If it's so simple, why I can't I bring it up? He makes it so much harder." _A much sharper look came upon his face, _"But I have to do it. I'll tell him as soon as I'm done talking to Tai. It's for his own good." _Suddenly he found himself pulling over into Tai's home parking lot. Amazing how fast time flies when one is filled with thoughts. He left his car and knocked on the door. Within seconds, a tall-haired brunette opened the door and smiled goofily at his blond friend before him.

"What's Mr. Cool doing here at this time of night?" Tai joked upon letting him in and closing the door, "I know you probably couldn't resist staying away from me but…"

"TK's in love with Kari."

Matt's abrupt interruption caused Tai to freeze on the spot. His goofy eyes then drowned in worry, along with shock. His hand sluggishly fell off the knob. Tai's eyes did not leave Matt's, who was staring at him in the same amount of seriousness. Thousands of thoughts filled Tai's head, which frustrated him even more. He leaned against the wall behind him, let out a disappointed sigh, and shook his head in disbelief. They both know how TK can be when he's in love—it's not pleasant, especially when he takes a trip down to heartbreak hotel after once being so mesmerized off someone. Oddly to say, he falls in love with a mind of a woman. Matt stuck his hands in his pockets and braced himself for any questions Tai was going to throw at him.

"You're serious?" Tai said in a rasp whisper. Apparently that was all he could say after a long period of uncomfortable silence.

"If I wasn't, I wouldn't bother coming over here at this time to tell you personally. He was officially love-struck the moment he walked out that café."

"Wow," Tai muttered, "How bad was it?"

Matt snorted, as if the question had limitless answers, "He spelled her name with the peas we had for dinner tonight."

"Oh God," Tai breathed out, scratching his head in annoyance, "Well, does he know that Kari has a…"

Tai didn't even need to finish; Matt understood. Matt just shook his head as a 'no'. Tai kept hitting the back of his head softly against the wall as if it was going to help him think straight (if that was even possible). A neutral expression then came to his face, confusing Matt. A sudden image came into his head—an image that pleased him. It was an image that symbolized hope and a bright pathway towards a better life for all of them. His eyes then sparkled faintly as he looked back at Matt.

"Is it weird that I could perfectly see those two together?"

"Dude!" Matt spat back in shock.

"Think about it, man! Trust, I care about TK like he's my own brother. And I honestly think that this would be a good opportunity for the both of them!"

Matt just gave him a dull look, causing Tai to laugh and speak again, "Have I ever been wrong?"

Matt gave him an even duller look along with a twitch and a forced smile, "Do you REALLY want me to answer that?"

"No thank you," Tai replied, almost instantly to save himself from embarrassment. He stopped leaning against the wall and stretched, staring at Matt with the most curious eyes, "I just came up with the most brilliant idea!"

"I don't know whether to be scared or…?"

"No, man! Seriously!" he said, raising his voice a bit in excitement. He then walked up to Matt, gripped both of his shoulders with his hands and stared deep into his eyes. The same amount of seriousness form before went right back into his eyes. Matt, who couldn't possibly be anymore uncomfortable, glared at Tai as if he were giving Tai a mental countdown to let go. Tai then shook him slightly, eye not leaving his, and said, "Let's play match maker."

"Oh my God," Matt huffed, pushing Tai off him. He was more surprised on how easily Tai was able to say that, "You cannot be serious."

"C'mon Matt!" Tai almost pleaded, "It's perfect!"

"For someone who's beyond protective of Kari, you seem a bit too willing to play 'match maker'."

It was true. Tai wouldn't even let Kari wear anything above her knees unless he's around, and with the exception of her work uniform.

Tai then crossed his arms and pierced his lips, "Anything to take her away from that…"

All of a sudden, they heard something rustle besides them. They both looked over to their side where the noise was coming from. The doorknob was moving, indicating that someone was unlocking the door. Tai straightened himself up, already knowing who it was. Matt stepped to the side, for he was blocking the door. Once unlocked, the door was swiftly and forcefully pushed open (making Matt grateful that he moved aside in time). Before them was Kari herself. She looked beyond angry with her red eyes, messed up hair and tear-stained face. Tai, within seconds, became overwhelmed with worry. Matt just stared, adding even more to his mental list of awkward moments. Before Tai could open his mouth or make his way towards her, she angrily stomped her way past them both.

"I cannot stand him!" she yelled bitterly as she made her way towards her room.

Tai thought for a second before yelling back, "Who, Dav…"

"Don't even mention his name!" she yelled back, slamming her door shut and locking it, leaving both boys dumbfounded and hopelessly confused.

Tai, now understanding, yelled back almost angrily, "I'll kick his ass, Kari!"

Her only response was a loud groan. Another uncomfortable silence suffocated the boys as they stared at the door that was just slammed. Tai was obviously not pleased that his younger sister was not happy, but he knew better than to disturb her at this time. He sighed sadly and breathed out what sounded like "damn". Matt sensed Tai's worry, and he couldn't help but feel worried as well. He knew as much as Tai did as to why Kari was so angry—that's part of the reason why he came to see Tai in the first place. Kari obviously did not deserve that. Matt then looked disgusted once he found himself considering, and even agreeing, with Tai's plan. He grunted and stretched, as if preparing himself for the battle that awaits them.

"You know, maybe bring in TK won't be so bad after all…"

_**The Next Morning, **_

"Is Kari working today?"

Matt tiredly looked up from his bowl of cereal, head rested upon his palm. Before him stood his brother, freshly dressed, staring down at Matt with eyes filled with curiosity. He seemed so filled of life—sparkles might as well have been surrounding him. Matt gave him a funny look; TK looked like he was 5 years old again, asking his older brother if Santa Claus was real (considering they never really had any parental figures to ask). It was a bit disturbing.

"Isn't it a bit too early to be in the morning to be in love?"

TK blushed madly at Matt's unexpected response, "I was just asking!"

"Uh huh," Matt yawned while standing up and wasting a perfectly good bowl of cereal by dumping it into the sink, "But yeah, I think she is."

"You _think_?" he repeated, with a hint of desperation reaching his voice, "Like there is a possibility that she isn't working today?"

"Dude, calm down," Matt laughed, leaning against the sink, "I can call her for you if you'd like."

"N-no!" TK panicked, mood quickly shifting over from dazed to paranoid, "Don't do that! That'll make me seem like a total creep! I cannot have her think that!"

Matt raised his brow and snickered, "I don't think 'creep' is the right for it just yet. Maybe 'obsessed' is a bit more fitting."

His face turned tomato red in embarrassment at his older brother's statement, "I'm not obsessed!"

Matt gave him a funny look and chuckled, finding TK's denial very humorous, "You spelt out her name with food. I heard you mumble her name in your sleep. I already saw a doddle of her on your desk. If this isn't obsessed, then…"

TK, who was obviously defeated (and beyond embarrassed), felt his face grow warmer before speaking, "J-just, do you know?"

Figuring he shouldn't torture his little brother anymore, he gave in and responded, "Yeah, she works everyday. Her break isn't until after a few hours or…"

Without giving Matt another second to continue, TK swiftly grabbed his jacket off the rack and made his way out of the house. Matt stared out the window above the kitchen sink and saw his brother run out of the apartment gates. The conversation he had with Tai the other night flashed into his mind. It was obvious that TK was in love and that Kari was ob there was a possibility that Tai's plan of match making will work. He let out a deep breath and smiled almost sadly, _"I'll tell him tonight. I have to." _

_**Meanwhile, with TK…**_

"Dumb Matt. I am not obsessed!" TK mumbled under his breath as he made his way through the town, kicking yet another innocent pebble, "It…It's not like I was thinking about her all night. O-of course not. I wasn't thinking about her that much at all! I wasn't thinking about her and her shiny eyes. O-or her sweet smile, or her cute voice," he suddenly found himself losing his train of thought from his original topic, "Or her vanilla scent, or her charming personality that compliments her amazing physical beauty…"

Finally realizing what he was saying—and what he was saying out loud for that matter—he blushed and shook his head vigorously. "Dude, get your mind together. Just because you thought about all those stuff doesn't mean you're obsessed!"

TK, realizing again how foolish he was sounding, dropped his head in another defeat. _"Why am I thinking so much about her?" _he asked himself, keeping his thoughts to himself this time, _"I've only known her for about an hour, perhaps even less! Hell, I barely know her. So then why do I feel this way?" _He placed his hand over his heart, as if it were to steady his heartbeats. Even the thought of Kari had him feeling nervous. A small sensation of jealously traveled through him when he recalled Matt asking him if he should call her. _"H-how does Matt even have her number? Are they like super close or something to the point where he has her number? Have they known each other super long to be super close to have each other's number? They must be if they hugged yesterday." _TK flushed at the thought of even getting that close to her. If passing by with him with her scent filling the air made him go crazy, he couldn't possibly imagine how'd he react if they were ever to hug. He pictured them hugging, and he the rapid heartbeats came right back. He sighed. He couldn't say that he didn't exactly like the feeling, but it was sure causing him a lot of stress and confusion. Here he was, on the way to a coffee café (when he doesn't even like coffee) early in the morning just to see a girl he had only met yesterday. _"How did this happen?" _he said sadly to himself, _"I'm literally setting myself up for disappointment. What do I expect? For her to feel the same way after just a few minutes talking about my distaste for coffee?" _He almost felt disgusted on how pathetic he sounded; moping as if he was a girl that had just dealt with a break up. The feelings could not have been helped, though. He couldn't stop his heart from beating whenever he thought of her. He couldn't stop his smile from popping to his face whenever he remembered her laughs. He was completely powerless to it all, and he would like to tell himself that to feel less pathetic about the state he was in. _"It's not like I'm forcing myself to feel this way," _TK thought a bit dully. Noticing that the pebble he had been kicking suddenly disappeared, he looked up. He was already at the café, right dab in the middle of the pathway. The decors of the place still made him feel like he was losing his manhood, but he decided to suck it up and just walk in.

Just Walk. In. He countered yet another moment that seemed much easier said than done. He was already in front of the damned place, but he couldn't find any strength to move. TK twitched in annoyance. If he was able to literally run out of his apartment just to see this girl, then he should be able to walk into the building that she's in. He scanned the windows to see if she was even there, and almost instantly he spotted her. There she was, in all her gracious beauty, making conversation with the customer before her. The first thing he noticed was her smiling and laughing, and that was a bit too sudden for his weak heart. Seeing her happily interact with the customer gave TK such a warm feeling; a smile, too, couldn't be helped. When the smile finally reached his lips, the customer walked away and Kari immediately caught TK's stare. His heart jumped high, and his face turned even redder than before. _"Now she probably thinks I'm a creep!" _he panicked, suddenly feeling very warm, _"I-I got to do something quick to cover this up! I can't have her thinking I've been staring at her! Oh man, she's still staring at me. Move, idiot! Walk inside! Oh my God, now she's waving at me. She's waving at me! What do I do? Ugh, what do you mean what do you do? Wave back, you moron! Wave back!" _He waved back, _"Okay, okay. Keep your cool, TK. Just keep your cool. Now smile back. There you go. Just take one step at a time. She's already expecting you to walk in, so you cannot back down now. See? Was that so hard? Look, there's another customer talking to her. You're all good. Go before the customer leaves. You're only a few steps closer. Now open the door. Open the door, TK. Just grab the darn knob, and open. The. Door." _

Once his hand was on the knob, he took a deep breath and shook off all the negativity he was beating himself up. He already felt like a mess, there was no way he'd like to look like one! Finally pushing the door open, the door chimed it's silly song and he felt the stares amongst the customers around him. And if it wasn't already awkward for him, all of the staring customers were girls. No wonder they were staring! He cleared his throat, and simply run his fingers through his hair coolly. He received a couple of admired sighs as he did so, although he didn't seem to notice. The customer before him in line finally walked away, and the first thing he noticed was Kari. His heart began to race for what seemed like the millionth time today, and it was only his second meeting with her. Once Kari placed the money into the cash register, she looked up so graciously with her dazzling eyes, it almost killed him on the spot. She saw TK standing before her, and she happily smiled at him. That smile brought him to life and killed him again. There was no way this girl could get more beautiful than she already is. Trying to stay cool, he walked towards her in the calmest way and gave her the infamous Takaishi smile. He was guilty for hoping the smile would have her swoon the way he does.

"Good morning," he said, smile not leaving his lips. Nor did hers.

"Good morning," Kari said back sweetly, "What brings Mr. Bitter here so early in the morning?" She then gave a fake gasp, "Oh! Could it be that he finally came to his senses and craved the taste of coffee in the morning because it's just that good?"

TK couldn't help but laugh, even though his heart was basically exploding from her cuteness, "Not quite, but kudos for guessing. I'm actually here for that free drink you owe me?"

She blinked not quite understanding, but gleamed excitedly once she understood, "You found out what the mystery flavor was?"

"I think so," TK smirked, "Is there a certain rule to this game or?"

"Look at you, playing by the rules. In fact, there is! This mystery flavor is actually the flavor of the month! I almost lost because I didn't cover it up on the menu yesterday!" Kari laughed with a slight blush on her face as she pointed up, which made TK feel more happy than embarrassed, "You can only guess three times! If you get it, you'll get that free drink like I promised."

"And if I lose?"

Kari paused for a moment, looking as though she never really put any thought to that. He started to feel a bit scared for what she may come up with; now he felt like it was a bad idea to even bring that up. She stayed quiet for a while, tapping her chin in what looked like deep thought. The anxiety of wanting to know what she was thinking about was killing him. He was getting nervous as each second past by. Suddenly, her eyes sparkled and an excited gasp left her lips. He braced himself.

"I got it! If you lose, then," a mischievous smile then appeared, "You're going to have to drink one whole cup of plain, dark coffee in one sitting. In front of me, because obviously I need to see it to believe it! Deal?"

TK's face dropped in disgust. A whole cup of coffee? A girly latte suddenly seemed much less torturous. In fact, his hatred for coffee started off with just one cup. He could already taste the bitterness of it. Kari couldn't stop herself from laughing at his sudden shift in emotion, and her smile widened as if she had already won. TK blushed from her laughter, and cleared his throat to cover up his slight embarrassment. Mentally wiping off the disgusted expression on his face, he flashed another confident smile. He made one deal with her; he wasn't about to back down from another.

"Deal," he replied simply, grinning.

"Someone seems a bit cocky with that grin of theirs," Kari chuckled, as she leaned closer with her stomach against the counter, "That grin won't be there for long after chugging down a nice, hot, _delicious_ cup of coffee."

"Don't tempt me, sweet pea," TK joked with a smirk, charm popping out of nowhere, "And I believe you meant confident, not cocky."

"Confident, eh? Well then, was sweet pea your guess, since you're oh so confident?" Kari smirked back, enjoying his poor attempt of what appeared to be like playful flirting, "Because now, you have only two tries left."

TK let out another short laugh, despite that he was confused on how 'sweet pea' even qualified as a guess. He had to admit that she was clever for twisting his words. But he decided to let it pass, considering he already knew what the mystery flavor was. That being said, he also decided to play along with the guessing game. He had a plan, and he was going to use it wisely. A sense of power and excitement traveled through him; finally something to replace the distress of his hopelessly confused heart.

"Well, I remember the drink being very…awkward tasting."

Kari's smirk disappeared and a serious look in her eyes took its place, "What do you mean 'awkward' tasting?"

His grin grew. His plan was working; it looked like she was becoming more offensive than focused, "I don't know. I can't quite put my finger on it. It tasted sweet like…chocolate. But then it had another taste mixed with it, something like a fruit. And that's just awkward. I mean, chocolate and a fruit? Can't be."

Kari then pouted and placed her hands on her hips childishly, which again, as expected, caused TK's heart to flutter. "How is that awkward? In fact, I think that is one great combination! The sweetness of chocolate, and the sweet taste of a fruit—what could possibly be awkward?"

"You tell me, Kari. I just don't think those flavors didn't mix together well at all."

She grew slightly red in frustration. She looked so cute to him; like a little girl angry being told that she couldn't have cookies before dinner. She then spoke, "You're crazy! Fruit and chocolate just so happens to be a favorite amongst most of my customers!"

"Eh, well, I guess just not in that drink you gave me," he said, letting out a fake disappointed sigh.

"B-but chocolate banana is one of the best kind of—eep!" Kari quickly covered her mouth, realizing that she basically gave out the answer. She blushed in embarrassment, causing TK to break character and just laugh softly at her reaction.

"I'm just going to take a wild guess here, um, is it," he gave a dramatic pause to get even more out of the cute, frustrated Kari, "Chocolate Banana?"

"You tricked me!" Kari exclaimed, already admitting her defeat.

"No, I'd like to think of it more as using strategy to figure out an answer fair and square," he laughed as he pointed towards one of the cups, waiting for his free drink, "Now, as you promised?"

Kari pouted her lips, and gave him a playful angry face. TK felt his face grow warm, for the cuteness seeping out of her was becoming too much to bear. She was too adorable; TK felt guilty for wanting to just snatch her and hug her forever (if that wasn't creepy enough). She then let out a tired sigh, following a sweet, enchanting smile, "Fine, you win this time. Simply because you're a new customer and I feel bad."

"Oh, are you sure it's guilt you're feeling? Or is it jealousy from the fact that I won this little bet?" TK replied, his cocky grin appearing once again.

"Me? Jealous?" Kari let out a fake obnoxious scoff, "You're such a loser."

TK laughed, "Last time I checked, _you_ were the one that lost. So therefore, _you _are the loser."

"No, YOU'RE the loser."

"No, you are."

"No, YOU are!"

"Loser says what."

"What?"

"Ha, got you again!"

Kari couldn't resist from laughing. She playfully smacked him on the arm across the counter that separated them both, "You're such a cheater!"

Upon defending himself as she smacked him, he noticed something on her arm that she was hitting him with. Without even giving a second thought, he slowly and gently grabbed her hand once her arm was stretched out another hit. She paused and looked at him confusingly. He looked towards her upper arm, where he assumed he saw some dark spot. TK assumed correctly, for there was a dark mark on her arm. It was like a dark purplish color. It looked like…

"A bruise?" TK asked, thinking out loud once again.

He was a bit surprised that he spoke his mind so casually—and for taking a hold of Kari as if she would be okay with it—but his time he didn't regret it. His worry seemed to have much more of hold on him at the moment; he didn't even stop to appreciate how good Kari's soft skin felt against his. Kari heard him, and she looked towards where his eyes were. Another blush formed on her cheeks as she slowly pulled her arm back and tried to pull her short sleeve to cover it.

"O-oh, this? It's nothing. I just tripped and fell on my arm, is all," Kari replied, sheepishly rubbing the back of her head, "The kitchen isn't really the safest place to me sometimes."

TK didn't buy it. It was obvious she was lying. That bruise on her arm couldn't possibly be from simply falling down on the floor. It was a perfectly circled bruise that looked like the size of a fist. And seeing that the bruise was still fairly dark, it made him worry that she had gotten that bruise not too long ago. He was pretty sure that she did not have the bruise yesterday morning when he met her, and he'd hate to think that she was clumsy enough to trip this morning before he came into the café. The café barely opened a few hours ago. It was shocking to him how much worry he had for a girl he barely knew, but just like before, this emotion couldn't be helped. He couldn't help but feel worried—she was hurt! Before he could even make a remark about it, a voice came from behind Kari. A girl pushed the door beads aside as she popped her out of the kitchen. It was the purple-headed girl that stared at him yesterday! The girl caught TK's stare, and stared back. She stared back with much more intensity; it sort of made him feel uncomfortable. It was as if she was studying him again. She glared, which made TK feel a bit off guard. Her eyes then shifted over to Kari, who's back was still turned to her.

"Sorry to interrupt your guys' chit chat, but you're still on the clock, sis."

"R-right, sorry!" Kari replied quickly. The girl finally went back into the kitchen. Kari looked back at TK and gave an apologetic smile, "Hey, look, I have to get back to work. But I get off for break in about an hour, would you like to hang out? Perhaps enjoy that free latte with me?"

Immediately, the heartbeats thumped in his heart uncontrollably. _"She asked me to hang. SHE asked ME to HANG OUT. She's basically asking me to go out and spend time with her! WITH HER! Which means, she's willing to take the time out of her schedule to hang out with me! She wants me to enjoy that latte with her. She even said so! ENJOY blah blah blah with HER. Damnit, I have to answer her now! She might think that I'm not willing if I take to long to answer. Alright, TK. Calm down and just answer her! Be cool, and be suave. You cannot make her see how much of an emotional wreck you are right now. Oh man, she keeps staring at me. Now she's raising a brow. She looks so cute…Ugh, focus! C'mon. Answer her! ANSWER HER!"_

"Sure, sounds great."

**TBC**

Oh, Happy Belated New Years everyone! Should of mentioned that earlier, but I'm too much of a lazy bum to scroll up and type it in the beginning. Haha, anyways I hope we all had a great start to the new years! And sorry again for the month long (even longer) update. Again, I've been super busy and I'm not going to promise anything more than what I can provide. But I will continue with this story!

How do you guys like it so far? Enjoying TK's emotional distress as he endlessly rides on the rollercoaster called love? Sigh, sometimes I feel a bit guilty for putting him into so much trouble! Switching point of views pretty soon, I'm excited!

Anyways, please read and review! It would be very much appreciated! Keeps me much more motivated to continue on with this! Thank you for reading and thank you again for your patience! I hope I made up for it with this long chapter!

R&R!


	3. Cell Phone

Greetings, fellow readers! Thank you very much for the feedback from the last chapter. I couldn't help but notice some of the distress in the some of the reviews regarding Davis being abusive. Well, I'm just going to say now that what most of you guys predicted or assumed may not be true (insert mischieveious laugh here).

Anyways, I just wasted so much of our time babbling on about myself yet again. Haha, alright, here comes Chapter 3! Hope you enjoy!

**A Whole Latte Love**

By iJutsu

**Chapter 3**

TK left the café in a slump. He didn't know what to think, or how to feel. Not only has he won the deal he made with her, he had also just agreed to go spend some time with the girl that he fell in love with in a matter of minutes. TK paused and thought for a moment, _"In a matter of minutes, that's right. I've only known Kari a day and I've only spoken with her for a couple of minutes. How could I possibly be in love? I mean, yeah, she's beautiful and she has great personality, but am I in love? Have I fallen in love with a girl I've spoken to for, at most, 20 minutes? Is that even possible?" _He then sighed and pulled on the hood of his jacket, _"Maybe I'm just admiring her, nothing more, nothing less. There's just no way it could be anything else. I barely know anything about her. S-so, there, that settles it. I'm not in love." _His pace gradually slowed down as he fell more deep in thought, which frustrated him. _"Wait a minute, what does being in love even feel like? I've never felt this way with past girlfriends, and I dumped them because the 'feeling' wasn't there. Is THIS the feeling that was missing when I was with them? Is THIS the feeling that was needed in order to maintain a relationship with a girl you like? Is THIS the feeling that shows you're in love?" _TK nearly spat out in disgust realizing how much like a girl he sounded, _"Geez, TK. Listen to yourself, you sound so pathetic. But if this is the feeling that's been missing, and I start feeling it when I met Kari, does that mean…I'm in love with Kari?" _ He scratched his head in frustrated, looked down and kicked a pebble that always seemed to be around him when he's emotionally unstable. Once he was able to kick the pebble again, he saw a set of legs walk towards him. Before he was able to look up to see who it was, he suddenly bumped into the person. Apparently they were already too close for TK to even look up properly. The person dropped his phone as he stumbled backwards. Apologetically, TK quickly picked the phone off the ground, straightened up and handed it to the person before him.

"So sorry," TK said a bit shyly, "Sort of lost focus there."

"No dude, it's alright. It's my fault actually," the boy replied with a laugh, "I shouldn't be texting and walking at the same time. Obviously it's quite dangerous. They should make it a law."

TK stared oddly at the person in front of him, finding it awfully strange how easily a stranger forgave him. The boy was just about as tall as he was, minus the spiky brown hair that probably added more inches towards his height. He was a bit tan, and he had a goofy smile that reminded him so much of Tai. He wore straight navy jeans, and a grey sweatshirt complimented with a black leather jacket. He seemed like a plain guy. TK was fortunate enough to have encountered someone nice, as opposed to bumping into a total jerk. Then again, he was also fortunate that this guy came along to interrupt his thoughts. The brunette then stuffed his phone into his pocket and let out his hand towards TK.

"I'm Davis," he said coolly, "Nice to meet you."

"TK," TK responded, shaking his hand casually, "Likewise. Sorry again about your phone."

"Don't stress, dude! I've dropped this piece of junk thousands of times already. This phone might as well be dead," Davis then released his hand and stretched, "Alright, well, I'm going to go grab some coffee. Hope to see you around, um…TJ?"

"It's TK, but close enough," TK corrected, but then laughed, "Alright, man. See you."

Davis nodded with a smile and walked past him. TK looked back towards the direction Davis was going, and raised a brow in slight confusion. He pondered for a moment, _"He said he was going to get some coffee. The closest coffee shop is at the mall, which is the direction. I'm heading. Unless…" _He shook his head in denial, _"Wait, is he going to Kari's shop?" _It was a bit strange how he referred to A Whole Latte Love to 'Kari's shop'—even though it technically was—but he ignored that. Instead he focused on the leather jacket boy who he had just met. It appeared that TK was right; Davis was walking straight along the pathway that lead towards the café. TK couldn't help but keep staring in confusion. _"That's weird. He's probably the first boy I've seen go in there, besides me, my brother and Tai." _Suddenly he felt awfully uneasy from the fact that another male was going to go into the café and interact with the cashier, who just so happens to be Kari. He refused to believe that what he was feeling was jealousy. He couldn't be jealous over a guy he doesn't even know. So instead he shrugged, turned back around and started walking, _"Eh, I shouldn't put much thought into it. That café is probably on the way towards his destination anyways. Besides, just because I developed feelings for Kari the first time meeting her doesn't mean he will. I…I mean, he's just a customer." _

Luckily, he found another pebble to kick because he was getting even more frustrated then ever. There he was, mentally killing himself over the thought of Kari interacting with a customer. That was quite pathetic of him, he confessed, because that was her _job_. She was _supposed _to interact with her customers. Yet he decided to let his unbearable love for Kari get the best of him and turn him into a mess. He wouldn't have even spent two seconds thinking about this guy if it weren't for Kari and that damned café. That Davis character would be just some kid he bumped into in the streets, as opposed to the kid who's about to go in that café and fall in love with Kari just as he did. It frustrated him greatly how the smallest things made him feel so paranoid, even though they were probably completely irrelevant to Kari. Davis is nothing but a customer, and he's sure Kari will gain more male customers throughout the week. Again, he shivered at that idea and had a sudden wish that Kari would come up with a rule that declared no boys into that café. He instantly found that a bad idea, since he was a boy, thus the rule would also apply to him. TK let out a huge annoyed huff and kicked the poor pebble once more.

"Damnit," TK muttered under his breath, "How can I be so scared to lose you when you're not even mine?"

_Mine_. That word unexpectedly just started to echo in his mind. He felt shameful how he made it seem like he was referring to Kari as a prize to be claimed, a prize to be lucky to have. But she was not a prize; she was a beautiful and graceful human being that was much out of his league. He couldn't even wrap his mind around the possibility of Kari ever being his, but there was one thing he was surely certain about—he wanted Kari. He, like a man, admitted what he's been trying to let out for the past day of knowing her: he wanted her. He wanted her attention, he wanted to make her smile, he wanted to be a reason why she believes in hopeless romanticism, and he whole heartedly wanted to be the one to love her and to make her happy. If this realization wasn't enough to make him admit that he was truly in love, then he didn't know what else would.

Once again distracted by his thoughts, he failed to realize that he was already a step into his apartment building. His plan was to just go home and freshen up before hanging out with Kari during her break, but now he was unsure about how much time he wasted since he left the café. Finally reaching his apartment room, after like what seemed like hours, he opened the door and quietly walked in. Upon closing the door behind him, he heard the TV on and awkward laughs from the living room. The TV was playing childish voices and music of what sounded like…TK twitched. _"Barney?" _ He didn't know what was scarier: the fact that Barney the purple dinosaur was playing or the fact that the person he'd least expect to be watching it, was _laughing_ to it. Not being to hold in his curiosity any longer, he barged into the living room and saw Matt on the couch, laughing like an idiot. Times like this TK wished he had a camera on him, because this was just too priceless. TK leaned against the wall behind the couch and laughed softly at the sight of his older rock-star brother watching Barney.

"Enjoying your day off, I see."

Matt jolted up in surprise and swiftly turned around to where TK was standing. Eyes widening and face flushing, he clumsily grabbed the remote and turned off the TV. TK crossed his arms and smirked, waiting for a logical reason. Matt cleared his throat as if there was something there, and just ran his hand through his hair coolly. Matt was trying to play it off, but that obviously didn't work for TK.

"I, uh, can explain…"

"Really?" TK laughed, removing his back off the wall, "Alright then. Explain."

He opened his mouth to speak, but then closed his mouth as a pout, as if he saved himself from saying something ridiculous. He opened his mouth again, but almost immediately closed probably for the same reason. Matt paused for a moment. TK stared at him with a smug, 'I beat you' smile. Matt rolled his eyes and lightly punched his brother in the arm, obviously embarrassed.

"Okay, so I can't explain," Matt admitted, "I just missed my youth a little. Is that so wrong?"

"Well, if you're watching Barney, then…"

"Shut up," Matt laughed, appreciating his younger brother's humor, "But I think _you're_ the one with some explaining to do. Why are you back home so early? Shouldn't you be hanging out with your girlfriend or something?"

Now the embarrassment backfired to TK. Matt clearly was enjoying the torture he was putting him in. He threw back the same foolish grin that TK had flashed at him just minutes ago, irking TK. TK's face grew bright red ad he glared at Matt annoyingly.

"Kari's not my girlfriend!"

Matt's dumb grin grew even more, making his poor brother even more flustered, "I never it was Kari."

TK's face grew even warmer from his response, seeing how there was absolutely no way from saving himself from what he said. TK actually did assume Matt was referring Kari to "his girlfriend", so he could not say Matt was wrong. It was quite embarrassing for him to even immediately assume he was talking about Kari. Now it seemed like he already saw Kari as his girlfriend. Speaking of Kari, TK suddenly remembered why he went home. Matt just stood there with his grin, waiting for an answer. TK just shrugged, acting as though Matt's comment didn't bother him.

"I'm actually going to hang out with her in a bit," TK answered almost proudly, "She said she wants to spend some time together once she's on her break."

Matt couldn't help but 'adore' the excitement in his brother's voice, "You don't say. Well, that sounds cool. What are you guys going to do?"

"Beats me," TK said, walking past him and hopping onto the couch, "But the fact that _she _asked _me_ to hang out is good enough. She wants to hang out with me. I'm basically killing time until then."

"How sweet. Now here I thought you came over just to visit me," Matt said sarcastically as he sat on the one seat couch that was in front of TK, "What time do you plan on leaving?"

"I don't know, probably in like half an hour. I barely left," TK yawned, "Oh dude, I randomly bumped into a guy earlier, it was weird. I made him accidentally drop his phone and he seemed totally cool about it."

"Hm, at least he wasn't being a jerk about it," Matt said, picking at the lint from the bottom of his shirt.

"True," TK said, stretching, "He's cool. I think his name is Davis or something."

Matt abruptly looked up from his shirt and suddenly took serious interest into what TK's little story tale. He slowly sat up straight and stared at TK in such disbelief, as if he had just been told drastic news. TK caught onto his stare, stared back and felt awfully uncomfortable seconds later. The tension around them started to get He also sat up straight and gave his older brother a confused look.

"Stop staring at me like that," TK said, "It's creeping me out."

Matt stayed quiet for a while. His stare did not leave or soften in any way. He looked as if he was seriously contemplating on what to say, or debating on whether or not he should even say it. Matt's facial expression suddenly looked so stressed and frustrated. And if TK wasn't imagining things, he could have sworn there was at least of pinch of worry shown in his face as well. Matt then rested his head on the palm of his hand and looked down. He took a deep breath. Seeing how Matt's mood just shifted, TK started to feel more curious than uncomfortable. He hasn't seen Matt this serious in years. Matt was a serious guy, he'll admit, but very seldom does he just switch from happy to frustrated within seconds. TK thought over what he said, and couldn't find one thing that may have bothered or displeased Matt. He decided to finally break the tension.

"Is everything okay?" TK asked slowly, a bit nervous for the answer.

Matt suddenly snapped back to life, jolting slightly. He sighed and sat back up straight, giving TK one of the saddest and fakest smiles in the world. TK may be a bit slow, but he wasn't gullible enough to believe that his smile was sincere. Now the worry shifted over to TK's eyes as the brothers continued to stare at each other. _"What's with him?" _TK thought, still not over Matt's sudden mood swing, _"I've never seen him act like this before. He almost looks guilty…" _Before TK could open his mouth to speak, Matt stood up and stretched a bit.

"Ugh, sorry dude. I dozed off for a second there," Matt replied humbly.

TK literally gave him a "WTF" look. Matt nearly drowned TK with curiosity from the serious and tense vibes he had set off, and all he had to say to that was that he 'dozed off for a second'? He refused to believe that. As if Kari wasn't enough to cope with, now he had his brother to worry about too. Matt was also known to be exceptionally good at hiding his emotions (he was nothing close to being an open book), which was weird to TK as to why he was acting this way. TK also stood up and threw back at Matt another serious look.

"Are you sure?" TK asked slowly, "That was probably one of the most dramatic pauses ever."

"I'm fine," Matt said quietly, looking at him reassuringly, "Your…jacket just reminded me of something important."

"My jacket reminded you of something important?" TK repeated stupidly, but then sighed in defeat knowing that he wasn't going to get any real answers out of Matt, "You need to stop watching those kid shows, man. Messes with your head."

Not having any intentions of stressing out his mind any longer, he patted his brother on the shoulder before walking past him and towards his room. Once he reached his the door of his room, he looked back slightly and saw that Matt didn't even move an inch. _"What's up with him today?" _TK thought, and then looked down at his jacket, _"Maybe I should really change my jacket." _Despite that he knew that changing his jacket wasn't going to do anything, it was worth a try. Perhaps that would put Matt's mind back at ease. He entered his room, removed his jacket, and looked through his cabinet for a different jacket to wear. He examined his unorganized pile of clothing, and then examined the outfit his was wearing. TK pouted his lips slightly in thought. He was wearing a plain fitted white t-shirt, straight blue jeans, and black vans. TK looked back and forth at the drawers and himself. One of the main reasons of coming back home before meeting up with Kari was to freshen up. However, TK's only plan was to just brush his teeth again and fix his hair. Now he was second guessing about his jacket. _"Is it a bit too plain?"_ TK asked himself, _"Should I change? Maybe wear a button up?" _His face then struck with an expression that was caught between disgusted and annoyed, _"No, I shouldn't. I can't have her thinking that I'm trying to impress her. Or that I'm trying too hard, because I'm not. I am not trying to impress her. I'm not trying too hard! But then again, is this too plain?" _He then remembered Davis's attire—sleek and clean—that then made him realize that Davis went into Kari's shop looking fresh. He shook his head, not wanting to believe that he was again feeling jealousy from a boy that probably doesn't even have any relationship with Kari. Trying to ignore the negative thoughts, he finally came up with a solution, _"I know, I'll just ask Matt what I should wear. He should know more about this stuff, since he spends hours in front of the mirror just for his hair." _He shut his drawers and turned around, only to be accompanied by his brother who, out of nowhere, was in his room. TK stumbled back a bit.

"Whoa, what the hell? When did you get in here?"

"Just now," Matt laughed, "Didn't mean to scare you, sissy."

Matt still had that gloomy expression on his face, despite that he was already messing around with TK. That bothered TK a lot; he'd much rather have Matt 'sincerely' mess with him than play around with him with a fake smile. Before he was able to finally speak out about that matter, Matt beat him to it with a very disappointed sigh. It looked like Matt was finally going to reach out to him about what he's really feeling, so TK decided to save his words for later. Matt pulled out his cell phone and scrolled through what looked like his messages. TK just stood there curiously waiting. Finally, Matt showed turned his phone towards TK and showed him a message. TK leaned his head a little closer to the screen and saw that he was showing him text messages between him and "short stuff". He examined more thoroughly and saw that that was a contact nickname Kari! Obviously not being able to hold in his curiosity anymore, he read the messages slowly in his head:

**Short Stuff**: Hey Tall One, can you tell your brother that I won't be able to hang out after my break? Something came up and I don't have his number to tell him myself. Sorry!

**Me**: Aw, poor kid was so excited though.

**Short Stuff**: No way? Ah! Now I feel bad :'(

TK's face dropped for many reasons. He didn't know which reason was worse, that 1) Kari cancelled their hang out, 2) she addressed him to Matt as "your brother", which probably means that Kari didn't bother to remember his name, which ALSO concludes that he wasn't worth remembering, 3) Matt put him on blast saying that he was excited, 4) she now feels bad because he was excited, or 5) she and Matt have pet names for each other. TK slowly drew back and stood up straight, eyes still fixed on the screen. At first he assumed that Matt was just messing around with him again, but he knew his own brother wouldn't go this far into a joke if he knew it was going to bother him a lot. TK's first instinct was to nag at Matt for embarrassing him by telling Kari that he was excited about it in the first place, but he couldn't get mad at Matt for telling the truth. It was true, he was excited. It was just _one_ bail. He usually doesn't get bothered when his friends bail on him last minute. And he was pretty sure Kari must have a logical reason as to why she cancelled. But the fact that it was _Kari_ made TK feel even more disappointed, not because she decided not to make it to their hang out, but because his high expectations ultimately ended up in false hopes. He felt Matt looking at him with pity, and TK deserved, and what more _wanted_, every ounce of it. He wanted his pity, and that was what made TK feel the most pathetic. He _wanted_ pity, and he _wanted _Matt to feel sorry for him. TK suddenly felt like a little boy who wanted his mom to pat him on the head and continuously say: "It's okay, it's okay". TK hated how weak he's become over just a girl. Never before has he over-thought things, have one person make or break his day, or, last but not least, desire pity. Matt sighed again and stuffed his phone back into his pocket.

"You alright, man?" Matt asked with real concern.

"Yeah," TK replied immediately with a short laugh, not wanting Matt to see how much the cancellation was affecting him, "It's nothing big. There are other days."

TK felt as though he was lying through his teeth, which he was. It was a straight out lie when he told Matt that it was nothing big. Of course it was! It WAS something big, to him anyways. And despite that he assured himself that there will be other days, he couldn't help but feel so disappointed because today was to be their first ever hang out that _she_ planned out herself over a deal made from a mystery flavored latte. What were the odds of that happening again? He wanted to slap himself silly, seeing how down he suddenly felt—once again—over just a girl he just met. If he hadn't known better, he could of sworn that this would be the way girls would normally react if their crush rejected them, not men. He was acting everything but manly. That made him wonder if guys actually do feel the way he does towards girls they like, and that they're just putting on a "tough guy" act to cover up their vulnerability. He looked over at Matt, and then shook his head in denial, already knowing (or rather, assuming) that Matt never felt like this before. There was no guy he knew that could be as sissy as he was right now. TK sighed.

"How about we do something?" Matt suggested, voice becoming a bit more comforting, "I actually haven't ate yet, let's go get some lunch. You drive though, because I'm lazy," he then laughed at the dull expression TK gave him about him driving, "Sure beats being at home moping around or watching Barney, right?"

TK glanced at him, thought about it for a moment, and gave him soft smile. He just realized that he didn't have anything to eat either. Matt was right again; it was best to head out and do something productive to take his mind off things, as opposed to staying home and have his thoughts ruin him. He grabbed his grey cardigan, car keys and nodded.

"Right."

_**Meanwhile at the café,**_

"I don't want to talk to you right now."

"But Kari, hear me out!"

"No, I said I don't want to talk to you!"

Kari stomped her way past the brunette boy with whom she was talking to, but was stopped in her tracks when he softly placed his hand on her shoulder. She let out an annoyed huff and turned around to face him. The boy's face was beyond apologetic, and his eyes were literally pleading for her to stay. Kari sighed and sat down on the chair behind her, finally willing to hear him out. They were in the café's backyard garden lounge for her break, and so far she was feeling everything _but_ relaxed. The boy sat down in front of her as well, took her hands and looked deeply into her eyes.

"I'm really sorry."

"I've heard that so many times before, Davis," Kari replied, disappointment in her voice, "I'm tired of having to deal with this all the time. It's ridiculous and it hurts. And you should know by now that I…"

"I know, Kari, I know," Davis said in what sounded like a whine, squeezing her hand a bit tighter, "But I really am sorry, and I'm sorry for overreacting last night. I shouldn't have yelled. You're right, I should have told you where I was and who I was with the whole day, or at least contacted you. I…"

"You know, Davis, I'm really tired of always hearing the same thing from you," Kari interrupted, sounding a bit more annoyed, 'It's always the 'I'm sorry's and the 'I never wanted to hurt you's. I mean, if you were _really_ sorry, and if you _really_ didn't want to hurt me, then you wouldn't have done this again in the first place."

"But I AM sorry, baby," Davis nearly pleaded, "You know I hate it when you're mad at me. I never wanted to hurt you. I never _want_ to hurt you."

Kari's patience with him started to decrease. He basically repeated himself again. They were just going back and forth with this conversation, and she solemnly had enough of it. She slowly drew her hands back to herself and stared at him both seriously and tiredly, "Then why did you do it?"

Davis opened his mouth to speak, but then paused, realizing that he actually didn't have anything reasonable to say, or anything decent, for that matter. Kari couldn't help but stare at him stupidly. Obviously if he was taking a while to answer something simple, then he was coming up with an answer that would save his sorry self from getting in trouble. In other words, he was going to lie and she knew that. It wasn't the first time. Sighing, she stood up slowly and shook her head disappointingly.

"Save your excuse, Davis. I don't want to hear it," she said simply, crossing her arms, "Having a reason for doing something like that is way better than having no reason at all. I'm going."

With that, she turned around and walked away. However, she couldn't get further than a few steps because she was almost immediately halted by Davis's voice.

"I didn't think it would hurt you!" Davis said in irritation, finally finding his reason, "Like, why does it even bother you? I honestly don't understand why it hurts you in the first place. She's just a friend and nothing more!"

She turned back around with the most dumbfounded face. She couldn't believe he could even ask such a question. She always figured that if he doesn't know why it hurts her, then he has little or no sense of compassion what so ever. Kari let out a sarcastic laugh, as if she intended to piss him off, "Who are we talking about again? Girl number 1, 2, 3 or 4? Or was it 9?"

Davis's patience, too, had it's limits. It looked as though Kari went too far and insulted him, but Kari refused to feel guilty. She was entitled to her idea that she had no reason to feel guilty. However, the longer she stared at her boyfriend, the more she felt remorseful. He stared at her with the same disappointment she stared at him with earlier. She suddenly froze on the spot uncomfortably. The strength and confidence she used against Davis just minutes ago vanished. Her body felt stiff; now she was nervous. _"No, I can't. I can't feel this way. He's wrong, not me! I didn't do anything wrong. I shouldn't be feeling like the victim right now."_ Her thoughts were interrupted as Davis took a few steps closer to her.

"What kind of guy do you take me for, Kari?" Davis asked, stopping once their bodies were just inches away from each other.

She looked up at him slowly. They were so close; Davis's shadow practically covered her. Kari couldn't identify his tone of voice. She couldn't tell if he was actually sad about their argument, or if he was just testing her with the answer she has to give. But from how heartbroken he looked, she couldn't help but feel regretful for what she said. Realizing her sudden feeling of regret, she swiftly turned her head to the side to remove eye contact. If there was anything more she dreaded, it was to hurt the feelings of those she cares about. She knew she was an emotional person that always seemed to give in for love. That always seemed to be the case with Davis, and she just couldn't deal with him like that anymore. She frowned, seeing how vulnerable she was being again. Again, Kari did not want to feel like she was the guilty one. She had to stop letting Davis get away with the same mistakes over and over again simply because she felt bad for 'hurting his feelings'. That was her plan originally, to not let Davis's sudden charm get to her like it always does. However, the way Davis kept staring at her and giving her such inconsolable responses, she just can't help it. That was one disadvantage for being such a hopeless romantic—she could easily be won over with just a few sweet words and kind gestures. She was a sensitive girl, and she knew that. She didn't like it, but she was aware. _"N-not this time," _Kari thought to herself, a bit bitterly, _"I'm not going to let Davis get away with this again. He's never going to stop doing it." _Kari felt Davis sigh.

"Is it wrong for me to have friends that are girls, babe?" Davis asked sadly, although with a hint of that sweetness Kari liked, "It's not like I like them or anything. We're all just friends," he then removed a strand of hair that covered her face and tucked it behind her ear, "Why do you always get so jealous? You're my number one girl, Kari. You should know that by now."

Davis's gentle touch and words caused her to slowly turn her face towards him with a smile. She stared into his eyes and immediately got lost into them. A small smile formed onto his face; but the smile didn't seem sincere. Kari raised her brow a little bit, examining his face. Her own smile faded. His smile looked more like he got here right where he wanted; a conceited smile that basically read 'I'm winning.' She looked away again, this time with her head turned. "_No, Kari. Keep fighting. He's sugar coating you and you know that. Don't let it get to you again!" _Kari fought the temptation to look at him. Her eyes remained to the side, lips pushed together slightly. She took a deep breath before speaking.

"I'm not jealous. You're just always being a bit too intimate with them…I just don't think that's appropriate to do, especially since you have a girlfriend…"

"What are you talking about, babe? All we do is hang out," Davis responded, softly stroking her cheek.

Kari shook his hand off her face, and glared at the tree beside her. Despite that the glare was meant for Davis and not the poor tree, she still didn't want to create any eye contact with him. She couldn't believe how unwilling he seemed to understand her point. She sensed that Davis was starting to feel a bit annoyed from her stubbornness from the short huff he let out, but she didn't care. She refused to leave this conversation without her point getting across. And the fact that Davis was denying the intimacy he has with those girls made it much harder for Kari to forgive him. She decided not to beat around the bush with this one like she usually does. If beating around the bush and easily forgiving Davis didn't work the first couple of times, then it won't work now. Once she felt his hand off her face, she clenched a fist and spoke.

"Hang out?" she repeated in a mocking matter, "By hang out, do you mean holding them close, grabbing their ass and basically eating their neck or what?"

Being too much of a coward to face his reaction, she swiftly turned around and started to walk away. The fact that she was able to finally say to him what's been heavy on her chest was good enough for her. Even though walking away after saying such a strong statement wasn't really a good way for her to remove her vulnerability, she felt a bit accomplished. She was again halted by Davis's voice.

"You know, I wouldn't have to hang out with those girls so much if you were less suffocating and acted more like them!" he yelled, obviously insulted.

She stopped in her tracks, shocked from what she just heard. Her breathing became a bit shaky, and she felt as though there was something caught in her throat. It felt raspy as she breathed, and the upset feeling in her heart started to get overwhelming. Now _she _was the one who was insulted. Davis crossed the line by saying that _she_ was the reason why he hung out with those girls. All of a sudden, instead of feeling insulted, she began to feel remorseful. Guilty. Everything she said to herself earlier regarding being the stronger one and not letting Davis get to her was fading away. She started to feel madder at herself than she was at Davis. In her perspective, she was starting to believe that she clearly wasn't being a good enough girlfriend if Davis had to compare her to others and call her "suffocating". To Kari, Davis's happiness meant way more than hers. To hear that the reason he's with those girls was because she lacks the personality he desired made her feel like this argument to begin with was ultimately her fault. She let down the love of her of life, and she was the reason why he was becoming distant. _"I understand now," _Kari thought sadly, her breaths cracking, _"It's not his fault, it's mine. I shouldn't be mad at him." _

Abruptly, she mentally slapped herself back into reality. Her eyes widened a bit and she looked at the ground annoyingly. That mental slap brought some sense into her. Everything she just thought and every inch of guilt she felt—she now realized—was absolutely ridiculous! She became angrier at herself for thinking it was her fault for even a second! _"What was I thinking?" _Kari thought, bitterly, _"Why would I feel sorry for Davis? Hell, I should be mad at him! He flirted with countless of girls and he had to nerve to say straight out that if I were more like them, he'd stop? Talk about an asshole move! H-how dare he switch this all on me! I mean, seriously. He might as well just leave for them! It's as if I LET him flirt with them because I always take him back! Or maybe because he's taking advantage of the fact that I love him too much to stay mad at him,"_ She found her body slightly shaking. She placed her hand slowly upon her beating heart, _"I know I'm right. He's wrong. Then why am I hurting so much?"_

"Kari? He said slowly, worry suddenly filling his voice.

Kari turned her head slightly towards his voice, not wanting to fully face him. However, she instantly regretted it because the moment she turned, an unexpected tear rolled slowly down her cheek. Her eyes widened a bit from her sudden tears, but she couldn't find the strength nor the will power to look away. Instead, she just stood there, frozen, staring straight at Davis with her pain-filled eyes. Her eyes became more watery, which caused yet another tear to roll down. The feeling was strangely overwhelming. It was as if the tears she's been holding in for so long finally broke loose. She didn't know what caused her to suddenly act this way; what caused her to just stare at Davis and just…cry. Perhaps it was to show him that she really was hurt and that he shouldn't be taking her emotions lightly anymore. Or perhaps it was also to make Davis feel truly guilty for what he's done; for this was also the first time she had ever shed a tear for this matter. But whatever the reason was, it worked. Davis's once angry face instantly became covered with the most worried—and the guiltiest—expression.

"B-baby, oh man, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that, I…" he stammered as he quickly made his way to her.

The moment Davis placed a hand on her shoulder, someone suddenly pulled Kari away from his touch. Kari's eyes widened once her body was embraced and her head was pushed softly against the person's chest. She looked up with her wet eyes and saw her older brother staring down at her with eyes filled with concern. Kari couldn't bear staring at Tai any longer—he already understood. She just closed her eyes and buried her face back into his chest. Tai wrapped his arms around her protectively and glared straight at Davis. Davis winced.

"She said to leave her alone, Davis. Just go."

After a few long seconds, Kari heard Davis footsteps as he walked away past them. Once the footsteps disappeared, she pulled away slowly from Tai's embraced and sighed. Davis being heartbroken from what Kari said earlier was all just an act to make her feel bad. She couldn't believe she almost fell for it too. She knew for a fact that she didn't do wrong. Although, she couldn't seem to get her mind out of the idea that she probably wasn't good enough for him. She admitted that she wasn't the most outgoing girl out there, and sometimes she could be a bit uptight with a lot of things—but she never thought that would drive Davis slowly away from her. Like Davis said, if she were to be more them, he wouldn't act that way in the first place. Kari stared bitterly at the ground. Tai sensed her tension. He placed his hand on her shoulder, making her look up. He gave him a comforting smile.

"You okay, bud?" he asked.

"Yeah, he's just being dumb," Kari muttered, wiping her pathetic tears off her cheek.

"Do you want me to talk to him?"

"No," Kari answered instantly, "We just need time to cool down, and I'm sure everything will be okay."

She noticed that Tai was about to protest against her suggestion, but he stopped himself and decided to drop it. He removed his hand from her shoulder, and suddenly the worry on his face came right back. It seemed as though he was examining her arm. Kari winced; she knew what he was noticed. His eyes shifted from her back to her eyes in an instant.

"Is that a bruise?" Tai asked straightforwardly, "Did Davis…"

"Oh my god, no!" she gasped, shocked from his drastic assumption, "I hurt myself while I was in the kitchen."

"You got a bruise on your arm from the kitchen?" Tai repeated almost stupidly.

"Yes," Kari said simply, crossing her arms, "I tripped and my arm just so happened to fall against the door knob. Really hard."

She could sense the disbelief in Tai's expression. Kari pouted in slight annoyance. _"Where else would I have gotten a bruise, like seriously. It's not like anyone would hit me. A-and why would he think that Davis, of all people, would hit me? He's my boyfriend. Ugh, I should really cover this up before it worries anyone else. First TK, now Tai." _Her eyes widened as she let out a short gasp, _"TK! Oh that's right! I can't believe I bailed on him. I should go see him." _She felt Tai's curious stare. Kari looked up at him.

"Tai, take me to Matt's house after work."

**Back at the Takaishi residence…**

Hours have past, and the two brothers have just came home from lunch at the burger joint nearby. TK had to admit that hanging out with Matt did get his mind off things for a while, but he couldn't help but think of Kari every minute in between. Because those hours with Matt were hours that he could of spent with Kari. TK slumped a little bit in guilt. He truly appreciated Matt's efforts to cheer him up, and he really did have a good time. But it was no secret that TK was still a bit bummed from Kari's sudden bail. What made him even more bummed was the fact that he was still letting his uncertain emotions for a girl he barely knows get the bet of him. If it takes him a mere half hour to fall in love, imagine how easy it would be for him to get heartbroken. TK twitched. Heartbreak; he was almost certain that he never felt true heartbreak before. He always thought of it as an emotion that showed weakness. He was grateful, though, he hasn't gone that far into rock bottom. At least not yet.

He slumped down to the couch and stared at the coffee table before him. The first thing that caught his eye was Matt's cell phone. Looking at his cell phone made him remember the whole 'Kari bailing on him' scenario. He then remembered the little nicknames they have for each other—"tall one" and "short stuff"— which expectedly put him in a jealous state. _"I'm just as tall as Matt, aren't it?" _TK thought childishly, _"W-well, she calls me Mr. Bitter…am I actually taking pride in that?" _Before he could even beat himself up for feeling so childishly jealous, Matt's phone lit up. It looked as though someone was calling him; Matt had the horrible tendency of always leaving his phone on silent. Matt was taking a shower. The phone's screen darkened, but lit up once again almost a second later. TK stared oddly at the phone. _"Who could be calling him? He hasn't touched his phone all day, except for when Kari…" _TK's heart pumped. Kari! TK's mind was exploding at the thought that Kari may be the one calling him. He grimaced, _"Damn it, TK. There you go again. Not everything in this world has to do with her! It could be one of his band members or Tai or Dad or something." _The phone darkened again, and lit up once more. The person wouldn't stop calling. He then started to reason out of the possibilities. Matt's band members rarely call him more than twice, and they are more of the "one-word" texters. Tai had work, and cell phone usage was prohibited. Their dad would of called the house phone or TK himself if Matt wasn't picking up. The phone darkened and lit up again. His curiosity then grew, realizing that it couldn't be any of the people he just thought of. TK was starting to feel a little bit anxious. It was beyond strange for him to be this curious of who's calling Matt. And the only thing that was driving his curiosity was that the person calling Matt could possibly be Kari. A pinch of jealousy once again entered his system, thinking that if they are comfortable to have nicknames for each other, then they should be comfortable calling each other countless of times. The phone darkened, and TK expected the phone to light up again, but this time it didn't. The person stopped calling. That gave TK a small sense of relief, but his curiosity wouldn't die down. TK sat up a bit and leaned forward to get a small peek at the screen before it could completely darken, but Matt's voice cut his little mission short.

"What are you doing?"

TK shot up and turned swiftly to see his older brother before him, wiping his damp hair with a towel. Feeling his face slightly redden, he rubbed the back of his neck and cleared his throat.

"Someone kept calling you," TK said, trying to sound as cool as possible.

"Really?" Matt asked, a bit confused, as he made his way towards him, "Must be from Tai. But he has work…?"

As Matt made his way towards the coffee table, the doorbell suddenly rang. The doorbell rang twice, and playful knocks followed right after.

"Could you get that?" Matt said, grabbing his phone.

Wanting to leave the awkward tension TK was having with himself in that room, he willingly made his way towards the door. He still couldn't believe how worked up he got over phone calls that weren't even for him! TK sighed. He was finding himself getting more and more pathetic by the second. TK couldn't help but once again think of how his and Kari's day would have went if they were given the chance to hang out. Perhaps, if he knew more about her, he wouldn't have such complicated feelings. At least he would know what it would feel like. Shaking his thoughts out of his head, he opened the door with a dully, mentally exhausted look. However, within a second, that dull expression disappeared completely from the unexpected surprise that stood in front of him.

"Kari?"

**TBC**

I'll just say now that there are more "throw offs" as chapters go on, and this will be the last time I'm going to reveal anything. He's not an abuser! I just had the urge to defend David because he's a very important character and I wouldn't want readers to stop reading/get angry simply because he's the "bad guy". I love Davis! (Just not with Kari lol) I want you guys to give a chance on this story! I'm actually very excited to continue—my outlines for about 4 chapters have already been outlined a few months back and some are in progress—and I hope you all will continue on this "journey" with me :)

I also wanted to share that upon reading my reviews, I discovered a new thing about this website: PM! I've been a part of this website for over 4 years now, and I've never realized that? Is it new? Or perhaps I just never noticed it! Regardless, I think it's really cool and interacting with one of my reviewers was really enjoyable. So it'd be nice to get a few PMs regarding any questions about my story and what not. I feel so childish on how this seems so cool to me. Don't be shy! :)

R&R! Please :) Keep me hyped!


	4. We Meet Again

Good day, my fellow readers! I'm in an awfully good mood right now, and if I could give you all a hug—I would! Thank you for the kind reviews, and I seriously apologize for the super long delay. From the bottom of my heart, I am sorry. A three month delay is way too long! Again, I'm still trying to manage school, work, and etcetera. But I will always manage to find time for Takari! Anyways, as chapters go by, I just can't wait for feelings to get loose, secrets to reveal, and so much more. I hope you all are just as excited. Until then, here's chapter 4! Enjoy!

**A Whole Latte Love**

**By iJutsu **

Chapter 4

"Oh!" Kari said in slight surprise, but a bright smile soon took its place, "Hello, TK!"

Kari's smile gleamed cutely at him, causing TK to freeze on the spot. He felt his face get warmer and his heart beat faster by the second. She was just so cute, so lively—his poor heart could barely take it. And she was standing right before his eyes like a miracle that has been handed to him. It became silent between them and time stood still. It was like they were the only two people in the world with nothing but TK's heart beat to keep them company. Time was giving him the chance to look at her. From her sparkling auburn eyes, to her fine face shape, to her silky brunette hair—she really was the epitome of beauty. Realizing that he was wasting seconds just staring at her, he opened his mouth to speak. But he was beaten to it by no other than…

"Look who's here!" Matt exclaimed as he patted his brother's shoulder, scaring TK half to death, "Hey, short stuff!"

"Shut up, tall person!" Kari laughed while making her way past TK to give Matt a hug.

TK turned around to them and flustered at the sight of the two embracing. Kari's back was towards him, and Matt—whose head was over her shoulder—sheered at him and gave him an evil grin. Taking advantage of the situation, he embraced Kari tighter and lifted her up a little. TK's face—much like what Matt expected—burned in red, hot jealousy. TK twitched in annoyance. _"He's doing that on purpose!" _Hearing Kari laugh made him feel much worse; for he couldn't help but immediately wish that he was the reason why. Matt slowly, and finally, placed Kari down and ruffled her hair. He did so in yet another attempt to make TK jealous—and it worked.

"What brings you here?" Matt asked, mischievously, "Missed me?"

"Geez, you and Tai should know by now that I hate it when you guys that!" Kari pouted, fixing her hair, "And don't get too ahead of yourself. I came for…" she paused dramatically and then swiftly pointed towards the younger blond, "Him!"

TK jolted in surprise. Her point hit him like a sharp, pointed arrow. His heart, probably for the millionth time that day, started racing rapidly. He was as nervous as a small boy who had just been called on by a teacher to answer a question he did not know. His body was tense, and he started to slightly panic. He didn't want Kari to notice how nervous he was. Matt obviously noticed, for he looked like his was trying to hold in his laughter. Kari put down her hand and turned herself towards TK and gave him a smile.

"You won the bet, remember?" she charmed, "I owe you."

His heart skipped a beat. Her smile was his ultimate weakness. It was almost unbearable. He couldn't understand how someone could be so insanely beautiful in his eyes. She was a simple girl, but it was her simplicity that defined her. A smile of his own couldn't help but find its way out.

"Yeah," he managed to breathe out, soft smile still planted on his lips, "You owe me."

Kari laughed cutely, and very much to his surprise—she went towards him and linked their arms together. TK winced a bit in even more panic. This was literally the closest he's ever been to Kari; hell, their arms were _touching_. Touching! His heart was pounding roughly against his chest and he felt his body heat grow a bit too warm. If he wasn't too careful, then Kari might actually—and literally—feel the panic he's setting off. But he had no control on the blush that formed onto his cheeks. Matt, from the mischievous look on his face, was obviously enjoying this. As TK expected, Matt took advantage of the situation.

"Oh, is that so?" he snickered, "And what do you two plan on doing?"

"We're going on a date!"

Silence. A thick, awkward silence filled the room between the two brothers while a joyful aura flowed out of an oblivious Kari. The fact that she said it so simply and was able to bring it about so easily was what surprised them—especially TK. _"D-date?" _TK flustered in thought, _"She said we're going on a date!" _TK couldn't tell if he was more excited, nervous, or confused about this situation. He was aware that they made the plan to hang out, but he was always aware that she cancelled on him, hence his emotional distress. There he was minutes ago, sulking about not being to see her. But now there _she_ was, standing right before his eyes. TK truly was happy that his last ounce of hope of seeing Kari did not die out, but nonetheless, he was confused. Before he could give it a second thought, Kari squeezed his arm tighter and if that wasn't enough, she smiled happily up at him. His heart almost burst. At this rate, Kari was bound to see right through him.

"Isn't that right, TK?" she gleamed.

"Yeah, TK," Matt teased, obviously being the one who already saw through his 'stay cool' act, "Isn't that right?"

"Yeah," TK answered immediately, glaring at Matt with a bothered face and forced smile, "It is."

"How cute," Matt replied with that playful smirk still planted on his face as he turned around to leave, "Well, you kids have fun. Be careful with him, Kari. He just might end up falling in love with you."

"D-dude!" TK blushed madly in embarrassment at that statement, but Matt has already escaped in laughter.

TK scratched his head and let out a sigh of both annoyance and relief. _"Seriously, what's with that guy? So embarrassing. H-how could he just say that in front of her? Maybe it didn't bother her…" _TK shifted his eyes towards Kari only to see her touching her face with her free hand, face almost as red as his. He stared at her in curiosity, wondering what could have gotten her so flustered all of a sudden. Despite how unbearably adorable she looked with the redness upon her cheeks, he could not help but worry. _"Aw, man. She's probably embarrassed too. Damn it, Matt." _He turned his head towards Kari to reassure her about Matt's dumb actions, but then paused when he realized that their arms were still linked together. Now it was his turn again to turn red. He felt himself getting warm once again; too warm. A moment of panic struck him—he completely forgot how close they were and how silent it has been between them since Matt left with that statement. He quickly drew his arm away from Kari, but instantly regretted it the moment he saw the surprised, yet slightly disappointed, look on Kari's face. _"Great job, you idiot! Why did you do that? Now she probably thinks I didn't want to hold arms with her after what Matt said! Or just not hold her in general! I probably insulted her. Ugh this is not how I pictured things to be!" _TK began to mentally beat himself up as he tried to come up with the right words to say.

"S-so where do you want to go?" TK asked awkwardly, still managing to find his voice.

"Let's go to the mall!" Kari answered quickly, as if to ease the tension, "I need to buy some more outfits for work for both Yolei and I. Yolei doesn't like to shop, so you're going to be my victim today!"

"Victim?" TK asked, amused with the term, "Now I feel a bit uneasy about going. Girls, shopping—should I be worried?"

TK felt more relieved that his 'cool' was finally coming back. His 'cool' seemed to work, since Kari laughed along with him. Success.

"You should be just a _tad_ bit worried," she grinned, "I'm very picky."

"And here I thought _you _owed _me," _TK chuckled as he stretched.

"Oh, trust me. I already did by giving you this chance to hang out with me. I'm a very busy girl, you know!" she joked, with that silly grin still on her face, "Now chop, chop. You're driving me!"

"It'll be my pleasure, Miss," TK laughed, going along with her playful attitude upon grabbing his keys off the counter, "But gas isn't cheap, so I'm expecting a tip."

"Depends if you deserve it!" she laughed as she smiled cutely and poked his nose, "Now let's go. I want to get a good parking spot!"

With just that being said, she gracefully turned around and opened the door. She stepped out and held the door open for him. TK couldn't help but give himself a second to just stare at her and smile. He still could not get over the fact how lucky he was for her to suddenly come over, almost as if it was meant to be. TK didn't lose hope for a reason, and he—this being the first positive feeling of the day—solely believed that they were supposed to meet. Otherwise, she would not have appeared. Perhaps it was just a mere coincidence that TK was once again taking to his head, but nonetheless, he was happy. He stepped out, closed the door behind him, and smiled sweetly down at Kari besides him.

"You ready?"

(shift)

"You ready?"

Kari stared up at TK, feeling his smile. Her face softened a bit while her eyes shined in slight awe. This was probably the first time that she saw him sincerely smile at her. She couldn't blame that, however, since she did only meet him yesterday and she usually just sees TK for a short amount of time. Although, from how his kind and humorous personality came off since that day, she found herself able to feel awfully comfortable around him.

"Yup! I'm excited!"

As they made their way to his car, Kari pondered for a bit. She didn't have much guy friends. In fact, the only two boys that came to mind were just Matt and Davis. Having graduated from an all girl school, she couldn't really blame herself for the lack of male friends in her life. So the way she treats her girl friends is the way she would treat anyone else, such as TK. She didn't know hot to 'properly' act when meeting or getting to know a boy, however she didn't believe it should be any different. TK was her new friend that she finally has the chance to know. Plus, TK was a really cool guy, and the vibes she gets when she is around is was enjoyable. He was funny, charming—she then blushed—and notably good looking. She looked up at him only to find him looking back at her. What more, once they caught glances, he smiled. Kari's heart skipped a beat as she stared back. Her face softened again. _"So cute…"_ Her face then flushed bright pink and she swiftly shifted her head back forward. _"H-how embarrassing!" _she thought, obviously embarrassed, _"He must think I'm being such a creep!" _Kari rubbed her neck shyly while trying to get her mind back together. Upon doing so, she heard TK chuckle. She turned back at him in curiosity.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," TK responded, chuckles fading as he spoke, "Just that we've been standing here for the past 5 minutes."

"What are you talking about?" Kari asked confusingly, but then looked to see that they finally stopped walking and have already reached his car.

Kari stared bewilderedly at her surroundings. In front of her was TK's car, but she doesn't even remember when she stopped walking. She turned to him quickly and gasped, "Oh my gosh! Why didn't you tell me?"

"I figured you'd notice!" TK laughed.

"Um, if we've been standing her for 5 minutes, like you say, then I obviously did NOT notice!"

"You looked too peaceful to disturb," TK responded coolly as unlocked his car and kindly opened the door for her to get in, "Even if you were just spacing out."

Kari blushed and then pouted, "I was not spacing out! I was just…thinking about something out of the blue."

"Hence the term, SPACING OUT," TK grinned, finding his way to victory from this quarrel.

Kari couldn't help but laugh. She sat in the car, buckled up and pointed at him in a serious matter; like a schoolteacher scolding their student. "Watch it, smart mouth. Or no tip for you!"

"Sorry, Madam," TK teased as he closed the door for her and got in from the other side, "Oh, major apologizes, Madam but I seldom go to the mall so I may ask for you to direct me there while I drive."

Kari couldn't help but let out a playful laugh, "Alright, alright. But expect a deduction on your tip! And it's Madam Kari to you."

"Whatever you say, Madam _Kari_," he answered while turning on the engine, "But you can keep your tip, I really don't need it. Like you said, you already gave me the tip I needed."

Kari felt a slight, warm flutter in her stomach from the sound of her name, but she then turned towards him and titled her head in confusion, "What are you talking about? I haven't given you anything yet."

TK switched the lever to reverse to back out of the driveway and into the streets. Once on the streets, he switched it back to 'drive', placed his foot on brake for a bit and then looked at her to answer her question.

"Oh, you don't remember?" TK asked, staring back at her with a gentle smile, "You said you already gave me the chance to hang out with you. That's all I really need."

Such sweet words made it impossible for Kari NOT to blush. She stared at TK in complete awe as he switched the lever to drive and started to drive out of the residential area. She had no idea how to take all that in. Confusion struck her when she contemplated on whether she felt that his charm got the best or worst of him. But nonetheless, she was flattered. Somehow, she couldn't find the will to speak. She didn't know if she should thank him, make a joke about it, or play along. What she did know, however, was that she didn't want to stay silent. That would come off as rude and leave things just awkward between them. He also seemed a bit troubled, for his face was also a bit red and he looked like he was in very deep thought. That confused her even more. _"Is he okay?" _she thought in worry. Now she felt herself getting more hot and red, but this time, in frustration. She let out a huff, slumped in her seat and covered her face.

"Gosh, TK!" she mumbled, face covered, "I'm so embarrassed."

"W-what?" TK stammered in surprise, shifting his head repeatedly to her and the road as if not knowing which was more important to focus on, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable! I shouldn't have said that, I'm…"

"No, no, no I'm not mad!" Kari exclaimed also in panic, removing her hand from her face, "I didn't mean to come off that way, I-I just didn't know what to say at first! I'm not uncomfortable at all! Oh my gosh, did you really think I was mad?"

She saw TK's face turn redder, "N-no, I just thought that…did I take it too far…maybe I shouldn't have said…ugh," he then sighed and laughed softly in defeat, "Yeah, I thought you were mad."

Kari let out huge sigh of relief, slouched back and also let out of laugh, "My goodness, TK! I seriously thought I offended you! I never thought you'd panic like that!"

"Panic?" TK repeated, almost ashamed, but immediately sharpened up, "I did not panic."

"All I said was that I was embarrassed, and you totally panicked!" she recalled, now not being able to hold in laughter, "Your face looked as if I was going to strangle you! You couldn't even focus on the road!"

"Oh, uh," he scratched his head with one hand on the wheel, "Once I find a logical and manly reason to cover up for my awkward actions, then I'll let you know."

"You're lucky I'm a patient person," Kari teased, taking pleasure from that answer.

TK, much to their easement, laughed along and finally another sincere smile appeared on his face. Kari's smile hasn't even left since her laughter died down. She continued to stare at TK with a feeling she couldn't quite understand. It felt like a feeling crossed between entertained and admiration. Kari found it amazing how easily they were able to just _talk_ to one another after just meeting yesterday. She didn't know exactly why, but there was something about him that made it seem like it was completely fine to be comfortable and herself around him. He simply just set off that enjoyable vibe with that kind and humorous persona of his. Seeing him smile, laugh, panic, act smooth and all that jazz gave her the urge to just continue teasing him in order to see more of his expressions. There, that was what made this guy so confusing, yet desirable—his shift in expressions. It was just so random, and so cute. Cute. Kari paused and reflected on the word. She carefully eyed him and focused on his features. His sleek, blond hair, his captivating, shiny blue eyes, and the way his face lights up whenever he smiles—it was too cute for Kari to ignore. Unexpectedly, she found her face growing warm again from the thoughts she was putting into this matter. _"Snap out it, Kari. You'll just keep staring. It's weird. B-but it's not like I'm doing any harm. It's completely natural to just automatically think someone is cute. Zac Efron is cute. My cat is cute. Davis is cute. See, no harm done." _Suddenly, her heart slightly dropped and her face fell along with it. A wave of guilt crashed onto her. Davis came into her mind, and she felt a bit confused on this situation. _"Davis," _Kari thought shamefully, _"Is…is it wrong for me to be thinking this way? If Davis were to find out I was hanging out with a guy he doesn't know—let alone think is cute—he wouldn't be so happy. Is this unfaithful of me?" _She then remembered the argument she had with Davis earlier today and soon found herself glaring. She shook her head in denial. _"N-no. I'm not doing anything wrong! I'm still mad at him, damn it! I'm just hanging out with my friend. No. Harm. Done. Plus, I'm not doing anything half as worse as the things he does with other girls." _Kari then frowned, _"I shouldn't say it like that…it almost sounds like I'm using TK to get back at Davis. I would never go that low. It's just a simple hang out between two friends made after a deal caused by a mystery-flavored latte. I wanted to hang out with him. I made a promise, and Kari Kamiya never goes back on her promises and…" _

"…here."

"Huh?"

"We're here."

Kari blinked at his blunt statement and then looked around. Her eyes widened. They were at the mall! She was almost amazed on how fast the car ride was (or how close the mall was to TK's home). Once completely parked, she looked outside the window awkwardly just to make sure they were at the right place because that seemed like too short of a ride. As far as she could remember, Matt's house was about 15 minutes away. It felt like only seconds have past since she left his house! But there was no doubt about it—they were at the right place. She turned around and faced TK with the most dumbfounded expression on her face.

"That was quick!"

"Was it?" TK asked with a hint of confusion in his voice, "It took us around 15 minutes to get here…"

"15 minutes?" Kari repeatedly stupidly, "It couldn't have been! It felt like only a minute!"

"Well, you were sort of spacing out again," TK said with a teasing chuckle, "You sure do space out a lot!"

"It's not spacing…" Kari started but stopped her words when she noticed TK raise his eyebrow in suspicion. She sighed in defeat, "Okay, sorry. But then why didn't you say anything?"

TK laughed, taking slight pride in his victory, "Because you looked too peaceful. I didn't want to disturb you."

So far, whatever TK said never failed to put Kari in a state of awe. He was always so smooth with his words and they always seemed to flow at the right place and time. Normally, any girl would be totally moved by that—and guilty as charged, Kari was one of those girls. The way he spoke, laughed or smiled gave her such a small flutter in her stomach, but not small enough to ignore. She took a moment to examine this feeling a bit more thoroughly. The feeling, for the most part, was very refreshing. It's been a while since she felt this way. In fact, she couldn't even recall when she felt it last. Regardless, she treasured it. She still couldn't get over how easily they came off with each other when they first met. His enlightening and cool personality, the way his smiles and laughter made her feel, the sudden comfortable vibe whenever they're together—to her, there was only one good logical explanation for this! She then smiled happily as she finally came to that explanation, _"We're going to be great friends!"_ She flashed TK a smile and pushed him playfully.

"Smart choice," Kari exclaimed, "Otherwise, I wouldn't be very happy with you, Mr. Bitter!"

"Oh no, we wouldn't want that," TK snickered as he stepped out of the car, closed his door, and opened hers, "Here we are. Watch your step, there's a puddle right here. Ah, here," TK reached his out towards her, "I should hold your bag, so it'll be easier for you to get out," he then rubbed his head and laughed shyly, "Sorry, I didn't mean to park so close to the tree. This parking spot was pretty tight, but you wanted the closest one, so…"

Kari stared at him funny. He was acting so protective, yet he looked like he was completely oblivious about it. It appeared as if this trait comes from him naturally. Immediately, she could tell that his intentions were sincere, and not purposely done to impress her. Despite how sincere the whole situation was, she couldn't help but keep staring at him oddly. It almost seemed too good to be true! She slowly handed TK her purse as she stepped out of the car. TK noticed her look she was giving him, and he stared back confusingly.

"What?" TK said with a short, nervous laugh after he closed the door behind her and locked his car.

After a few more seconds of awkward staring, Kari finally came to her sense and touched his cheek with the palm of her hand.

"Are you sure you're real?" Kari asked in a serious, yet humorous tone, "You wouldn't disturb me when I'm spacing out, you actually parked close to the mall, you opened the door for me, and you even insisted you hold my purse! Last time I checked, gentlemen are endangered species."

She felt TK's cheek grow warm against her hand. Suddenly, TK placed his hand over hers, and gently moved it off his face. She blinked in slight confusion; had she done something wrong? Did she insult him? He didn't look sad at all, but his eyes looked as though they were drowning in emotion—Kari could only imagine what he was thinking about. Before she could speak about the matter, he smiled sweetly at her.

"Or I'm just a nice guy," TK replied; his mood then brightened up, "Come on, let's go. Let's see if hanging out with little Miss Sunshine is worth that cup of disaster—I mean coffee—I had to drink."

Kari was relieved with his sudden uplifting, but she was still very curious. She decided to play along to ease her thoughts, "Hey, watch it! Keep it up or there will be more cups of disasters in your future!"

TK laughed, "I'm guessing I have no say in this?"

"Absolutely not."

They finally started to walk out of the parking lot and towards the mall. Despite all the curiosity she had towards the blond, she was really excited to see what the rest of the day has in store for her. She was especially happy that the plan still went through, regardless of the Davis incident that got in the way earlier. If anything, hanging out with TK has to be least stressful thing that happened to her today. It was refreshing. He was refreshing. Upon approaching the entrance to the mall, TK—as expected—opened the door for her. She kindly thanked him as she walked in, and turned around only to see him holding the door for more people that probably were behind her. Another smile couldn't help but form on her face. It was such a heart-warming sight. Normally seeing people holding the doors for others would just be another sight to her. However, for some reason, it was just so different with TK. She was a bit confused about the feeling, but she decided not to let it bother her since she figured it couldn't possibly be anything crucial. _"It's been a while since I made a new friend," _Kari thought, _"The feeling must just be deprivation." _TK closed the door and quickly made his way to her. Both then continued walking deeper into the mall. Kari crossed her arms and laughed.

"If you're trying to convince me that gentleman still exist, it's not working."

"And you call _me_ the bitter one," TK laughed, then winked, "Again, in my defense, maybe I'm just a nice guy."

That cursed flutter rose again from the pit of her stomach. The only thing she was able to let out of mouth was a short, awkward chuckle. She couldn't look away. His cute gestures were almost impossible to ignore. But to_ her_ defense, it was completely normal to think someone looks cute. He definitely was not ugly! She then twitched in slight frustration, _"It's just the stupid butterflies that I don't understand!" _Kari grew up with the idea that butterflies came to your stomach only when you're nervous or if you're around someone you have romantic feelings for. But she wasn't nervous at all, nor did she feel the least bit shy around him. And she most definitely did NOT have any love-related feelings towards a guy that she barely met. _Love_. Kari blushed. She then shook her head, not wanting to get any deeper into that sort of thought. She has a boyfriend; she is in no position to think that way. Kari unintentionally let out a huff and a pout out of habit. It only took a second to expect that TK was going to ask about it.

"You okay?" TK asked, and then grinned, "Spacing out again, cadet?"

" No!" Kari exclaimed, blush reddening, "I was just thinking about what I should get today. I will be extremely disappointed if we leave the mall empty handed!" She then looked around and immediately spotted and pointed at a store of her liking, "Ah! Let's go there!"

TK looked to where she was pointing and twitched. The store was just as pastel and girly as her coffee shop—as if walking into her café wasn't enough already to take away his dignity. Along with the bright colors were high-pitched pop music and a swarm of girls laughing and giggling over who knows what.

"Let's go, TK!" Kari said excitedly as she turned around, but then glared once she saw the hesitant and disgusted look on his face, "Don't give me that look! Now c'mon, we're going!"

Without giving TK a chance to even deny her, she quickly went up to him, linked their arms together, and pulled him towards the store. He was surprisingly easy to drag along—almost effortless! She eyed over to him and saw that he gave in, for he was walking willingly alongside her in defeat. With a slightly embarrassed blush on his face, she couldn't help but softly giggle. _"He's so cute," _Kari thought happily, but then paused at her thoughts. Cute. _Cute_. This was probably the millionth time the word "cute" crossed her mind whenever she thought of him. It couldn't be helped though. Every expression and persona he shows was always so random, yet so smooth—it was cute! It was just guiltless thinking.

Finally, they were inside the store. A huge, excited smile hopped onto her face. TK winced. Thousands of blouses, dresses, skirts, shoes and more surrounded them. Kari's eyes glistened like a lost puppy who has finally found a home.

"I don't even know where to start!" Kari chirped, turning her head to TK, "You decide."

"There's not much to decide from," TK responded in a slightly dull manner, "They all look the same and…"

"Stop right there," Kari interrupted, lifting her hand in front of his face, "They most definitely do NOT look the same. There's dresses, blouses, skirts…"

"All in which are colored in the same kind of pastel code with almost the same kind of designs," TK interrupted back with a chuckled sigh.

Kari paused for a moment to find a defense, and then nodded slowly as they continued their way into the store, "True, true. But the look and feel of it all is totally different. If it weren't, I would buy everything because—and this I quote from you—they are all the 'same'."

"I can never win a argument with you, Kari," TK laughed in defeat, looking as though he had no clue how to respond to that.

"Someone's finally learning!" Kari grinned, "Never question a woman's instinct when shopping."

"I'll try," he said, "Now let's get this over with. What are we looking for again?"

"New clothes for work. Yolei's skirt ripped again and we're both running out of tops to wear with it. So, I was thinking, we should just wear dresses instead as our uniform. A plain, solid, pastel color—like lavender, sky blue, cherry blossom pink, soft yellow, soft teal, peach and the creamy white. One color for each day of the week, and two of each since Yolei and I are the only ones so far who work outside the kitchen. Our chefs already have cute outfits, I'm jealous. But yeah, that's our mission today!" Kari again turned her head to her blond friend and smiled, "Got it?"

TK twitched and rubed the back of his neck awkwardly with his free hand, "Still trying to process it all, but…yeah, sure. Got it."

Free hand. Kari just now noticed that their arms were still linked together. TK hasn't even tried to let go since they entered. _"Maybe he didn't notice either," _Kari thought solemnly, but then smiled when a more positive thought came to her mind, _"Or maybe he just doesn't mind! This is so cool. He's totally find with this, just like when I first met Yolei! I guess making friends with guys really isn't as different. Ah, I love this!" _Kari's heart fluttered in excitement at the thought of her having her first guy best friend. For a second, she felt like she was over exaggerating, but she soon defended herself by realize that she rarely knows any guys due to her "all girl" environment and Tai's rule of "no boys allowed in your life besides me and dad". And the fact that TK—a guy she just met—just so happens to be seriously awesome, she couldn't help but feel excited and anxious to know more about him and grow a bond. Plus, she felt like she needed a sincere friend right now, especially after the incident with Davis earlier that afternoon. Smiling giddily, she squeezed their arms tighter together.

"Okay then, let's get started!"

And once again, TK didn't let go or showany sign that he wanted Kari to let go. In fact, as she examined him, he was smiling and he even looked willing to help her out. More excited than ever, she gracefully browsed the store as she "pulled" TK along with her. She spent literally five or more minutes on just one rack or shelves of clothing. Finally, her eyes shined in satisfaction. She pulled out a sleeveless, lavender knee-highly dress that flows. It was a solid pastel dress, which was exactly what she was looking for. The rack continues down the line in color order with every color she needed. Mission complete! She realized their hold, turned to TK and the held the dress in front of her body.

"So? What do you think?" she asked with the same childish smile, "Isn't it cute?"

Kari was expecting a quick agreement from TK, but instead she the opposite. TK stayed silent for a moment as he stared at the dress. A small piece of his lips appeared on his face and then an apologetic smile soon followed. Kari raised a brow. Mission not so complete.

"What's wrong?" Kari pouted.

"It's…a bit too revealing," he said slowly, a bit embarrassed.

It was Kari's turn to pause. She stared at him oddly, then at the dress, and then back at him. It showed her arms and legs, but it was a dress. That is how dresses are, so she was confused as to why he felt it was too revealing. Sure, the back line was a bit low and she'd have to wear a bra that somehow did not wrap around her back, but it was still a very cute dress and she wanted him to feel the same way.

"It's a dress, TK. I think my legs are supposed to show."

"Your whole back practically shows," TK said, defending his point.

"_So it was the back," _Kari thought, at first appalled but then amused. It was either he was protective of her, or he really didn't like the dress. The dress, in her opinion, was almost impossible not to like, so she went with her other assumption. Although, it was a bit odd how someone could be so protective of someone after a day's meet, but then again, the dress was NOT ugly. She then laughed.

"Why are you so conservative of me? You're just like Tai!"

TK's face noticeably turned red; as if she had just embarrassed him. Again, it was as if the word "cute" was glued onto his face. His reactions were as adorable as a puppy's—she just wanted to hold him. Kari, seeing how even redder he was getting, placed her hand on his forehead playfully.

"You okay?" she laughed, "You're like a warm tomato!"

"Excuse me for a minute," TK said rather quickly as he backed away from her touch, face still red, "I need to go to the restroom."

He then gave her a quick smile before turning around and heading straight out the door. Kari stared at him oddly until her turned to the left towards the restrooms. She was a bit confused why he had to go so suddenly. Ignoring that thought for a second, she felt her hand and softly smiled. _"So warm…" _A blush formed on her face from the feeling. A small wave of worry then hit her once she started to think about why he left so abruptly. _"Did I make him feel embarrassed? Uncomfortable?" _However, realizing how he's been treating her the whole date so far placed her mind at ease, _"Don't over-think, Kari. He probably really did need to use the restroom."_

Kari breathed a small sigh of relief as she continued looking through the clothes, "I wonder how he's feeling."

(shift)

"What. Am. I. Doing?"

TK let out a long breath of frustration. He stared at the mirror in front of him and then gave his reflection a stupid look. He rested his hands on the edge of the sink in front of him as he entered a deep state of pathetic thinking. _"What the hell are you doing, TK? You're acting like such a loser! Why are you trying so hard to impress her? Ugh, I could only imagine what she thinks about me…" _He thought over the way he acted since they left the house, and his face once again grew red hot in embarrassment. To start, that car ride was awfully long and quiet, despite that Kari seemed to have thought that it went by quickly. Has he bored her then? Is he boring her now? He then recalled how physically close they were today. He winced. TK came to realize that he did not once try to break away from their arm's link. In fact, he couldn't recall a moment where he even gave their lock a thought. He didn't seem to realize, until now, how long they were attached to each other. She sure did embrace him a lot today. She was just so natural with it. He then thought over the way they've spoken to each other for the past few days. Alike with her embraces, his words came out so naturally. He was surprised at how quickly his true persona was revealed to her. As much as he wanted to deny this, he is awfully shy when meeting new people and it takes a while of successful relationship building to show who he really is (in fact, that is—according to Matt—TK's "girl" trait). But with Kari, it was different. And it honestly made him happy how comfortable it was to be able to communicate with her. Hell, it made him happy how they are finally getting to know each other. He'd have to count how much sincere laughs and smiles he let out today. She is quite an amazing girl, and in his mind, there was no doubt about that. She's charming, beautiful, and a bit of a dork; a childish dork that a person can't help but adore. He remembered the way she looks up at him and smiles, and the way she playfully hits him or argues with him. His body loosened up and a smile soon found its way to his lips.

"She sure is something else," he chuckled under is breath.

Interrupting his thoughts, he heard a toilet flush from one of the stalls behind him. TK straightened up, figured it was about time he should head back to Kari. He didn't even realize that someone had walked in, or was already in here, while he was there thinking. TK gave one last look at the mirror before turning around and then suddenly saw a brunette boy standing before him. The boy looked a bit surprised too, but then a huge, goofy smile appeared on his face.

"Yo, TK!"

TK stared at the guy in front of him strangely, but then a surprised expression appeared once he realized who it was.

"Davis?"

**TBC**

Woo, this was a long chapter! I figured I owe you guys a longer chapter if I take this long to update. This was probably one of the most fun chapters I've written so far, and I really hope you all enjoyed it. I'm dying to know—do you enjoy the shift of point of views? I figured it would give a better understanding of the characters along with going much more in depth with the how the story is going/will go. Not saying I will get rid of it, because the shift of point of views is a main necessary factor of what shapes this story, but I would still love some feedback! Also, I will try my hardest to update sooner. So far I give off this whole cliché vibe with the story, but just you wait! I really want to continue this as much as I could—even I'm eager to let out some secrets!

I didn't realize how much I was talking there, haha. Anyways, I really hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I will work extra hard to make the next chapter much more pleasing and enjoyable! Much love to you all! Read and review, please! Keep me hyped :) Summer vacation is nearing so I ensure quicker updates!

R&R!


	5. Space Cadets, FroYo, and a Bracelet

**Readers! Happy super belated New Years! I am very, very, very sorry for the huge delay, especially when I assured a much quicker update (in fact, it's been almost a whole year since my last update!). I gave the complete opposite, so I am so sorry again for that. But thank you for those who stuck by and continued to wait, and for new readers who reviewed! You all keep me hyped up to continue and I appreciate it a lot. I hope you enjoy this long overdue chapter! **

**A Whole Latte Love **

**By iJutsu**

Chapter 5

"Funny seeing you here!"

Davis laughed as he made his way to the sink. He put down a shopping bag from what seemed like a jewelry store. He then started to wash his hands. TK just stared at him oddly, still taking in the fact that he once again ran into the guy that made him feel awkwardly uneasy earlier today. He felt a little uncomfortable having to carry on a conversation in the restroom, especially with a guy he just met. Out of reflex, TK laughed along.

"Yeah. Doing some shopping?"

"Unfortunately," Davis snorted, "Trying to find a way to buy myself into forgiveness from my mistress. Girls are too much sometimes, man."

"From what Davis just stressed out, TK picked up two things: mistress and girls. _"Buying is way into forgiveness…mistress…too much?" _TK thought to himself, as if he was trying to solve a puzzle, _"He's buying something for a girl, so that girl could forgive him…He has a girlfriend!" _It was pretty clear that "mistress" referred as an insult to a girl that he is already involved with. Suddenly, a wave of ease crashed onto TK's senses. This guy—this stranger, rather—that TK thought was getting in the way of him figuring out his feelings for a girl simply because he was the first male he saw enter her café has a girlfriend. And what more, to some extent, he and Davis are both having similar girl problems. If there were a thing they both could agree on right now, it would be that girls are "too much". Even the simple things girls do are complicated! TK let out an exasperated laugh.

"Yeah, tell me about it. I was actually dragged in by my friend today too. We came just for a simple errand, but she makes picking the right dress from other dresses that look just the same everything but simple."

"God, right?" Davis said rather loudly in symmetrical exasperation as he grabbed paper towels to dry his hands, "My girlfriend has that exact issue! You know, she once spent ten minutes explaining to me the difference between pink and…salmon? Isn't that a fish? It's so weird!"

TK laughed, genuinely finding that funny, "Sometimes you can never win, I guess."

Davis crumpled the paper towel he just used and threw it into the trashcan behind TK, laughing along before he let out a sigh, "Ha, make that majority of the time. We actually got into a little argument, and no matter what I said, she didn't believe me or give me a chance to explain. Ugh, oh well. I got her something that will hopefully get her to forgive me. Speaking of which, let me show you…"

_"So I _ was right," TK thought, recalling his prediction earlier of Davis having trouble with his—what he called—mistress. TK again felt that strange wave of relief, making him a little uncomfortable. Why he felt that way towards a guy that as no relation to the girl that he barely knows, yet apparently loves, is a mystery. He watched Davis pick up the shopping bag and dig out a thin, horizontal jewelry box. TK stared at it in slight astonishment. _"Must have been one hell of a fight," _he thought, rationalizing on how much Davis must have spent on it. From the look of the bag and box, it was from an actual jewelry store and not something plastic from a teen's accessory store. With a smug and proud grin, he opened up the box and revealed what looked like a bracelet, made of gold with lavender flower shaped charms dangling around it. It was a nice piece of expensive looking jewelry, TK had to admit. Davis rubbed the back sheepishly and let out a shy chuckle.

"It's her favorite color," Davis smiled, "And she likes flowers, so I hope she'll like it."

"Dude, don't worry. I'm sure she will," TK reassured.

"Yeah, you're right. She's completely addicted to things like this," Davis said, as he shut the box close and stuffed it back into the bag, "Well, I oughta go. Your girlfriend might release hell for making her wait."

TK blushed at both the fact that he nearly forgot that he's been keeping Kari waiting and that Davis mentioned her as his girlfriend, He immediately countered, "She's not my girlfriend…"

"She's still a girl, and they're all the same," Davis laughed with a shrug before making his way to the door, "Anyways, great talk, TK. See you."

"Yeah, see you."

Once Davis left, TK let out a long sigh as if he's been holding his breath since they started talking. Even talking to, and getting to meet, someone couldn't distract his mind from Kari. He recalled the sense of relief he felt when he found out that Davis has a girlfriend. TK twitched, _"Why does that even bother me?" _TK thought in annoyance, _"It's not like every guy that walks into her shop is going to fall in love with and want to date her." _His twitched deepened, realizing that he just described himself. Kari's earlier words of them going on, what is now, this date echoed in his mind. He ruffled his hair, letting out a huff. He stared rather pathetically at the mirror. _"If I fell this hard for her with just knowing her for a few damn days, I'd imagine this effect being just as simple to other guys too…" _A childish pout then formed on his face, as he attempted to fix his already mess hair, _"Kari should just make her café girls only with the exception of me…what the hell?" _TK nearly slapped himself silly for the extremely childish, and awfully possessive_, _idea he just came up with. He looked stupidly at the mirror, as if annoyed with the person reflected on the glass, and glanced over at the wall clock shown through the reflection. His eyes widened. He's been keeping Kari for almost 10 minutes!

"Crap!" he muttered through his teeth as he quickly made his way out of the restroom and back towards the store, "Crap, crap crap."

Clearly he wasn't aware of the time that he wasted mentally beating himself up in the men's restroom. _Ugh, what am I going to say?" _he thought in complete frustration and panic, _"She's gonna be so mad and disappointed…so much for a good impression, TK! God, where's that store again…shoot, I just passed it! Ugh, you think too much! Okay turn around. Good. Now hurry up, hurry up, hurry up." _TK turned around swiftly and ran his way back to the store where Kari was. Almost immediately upon entering the store, he spotted Kari, who was already staring right back at him. His heart skipped a beat. He was stuck between feeling nervous for her reaction and stuck in awe of cute she looked when she's…in awe. Taking a deep breath, he quickly walked over to her and gave her the most apologetic expression possible.

"I am so sorry for the wait," TK said, rubbing his arm shyly, "I…"

"Yeah, what took you?" Kari asked, suddenly pouting and crossing her arms, "For a second I thought you ditched me!"

"W-what?" TK stammered in shock, obviously caught off guard, "I would never…!"

"Oh my gosh, I'm just kidding!" Kari laughed, playfully smacking his arm, "You should have seen your face! Haha, so funny! But yeah, what took you?"

TK felt his face grow warm from Kari's laughter and slight, playful touch. At least she wasn't mad. "I, er, just got lost on the back."

Kari stared at him oddly, "You got lost?" She then pointed towards the exit, which revealed a restroom right across the store, "But the restroom is just right there!"

TK returned the odd look as he turned his head towards the direction she was pointing .He twitched. Indeed there was a restroom just outside the store, and he went to the one that was further towards the food court on the opposite side. On the plus side—much to his relief—he didn't technically lie then, about getting lost.

He let out an embarrassed laugh, "Oh. I sort of went to the one near the food court. I don't go the mall to memorize where it's restrooms are, I guess."

"Are you serious?" Kari asked in shock, but then revealed a happy smile that made TK's insides flutter, "That that's more of a reason for us to hang out!" One, to get you to like, no love, coffee and two, for you to come with me to the mall more often!"

TK simply couldn't fathom the immensity of the butterflies chaotically fluttering around in his stomach caused from what Kari just said. Her smile, in addition, was just so charming. How happy she looked when she spoke about them hanging out made him fall deeper in the unknown feelings he has of her. A soft smile formed on his face, taking in her positive and lively energy. From what she said, it was pretty safe for hi to assume that Kari actually wanted to hang out with him more. _"Which means," _he thought proudly, _"I made a good impression and still have chances to see her!" _He felt as if a huge weight got lifted off his shoulders. Knowing that there was a chance for them to spend more time together gave him one less thing—out of the many things regarding Kari—to worry about. Kari laughed, interrupting his thoughts.

"Yolei and Tai are usually the ones I go shopping with, but they never want to go with me anymore! Apparently I'm too much to handle!" she then flashed TK a silly grin and joked, "I wonder how long it will take for you to get tired of me!"

TK chuckled softly and smiled sweetly, "I'd never get tired of someone as adorable as you."

Crickets. TK's whole body froze. He felt complete incapability to speak or move besides the red warmth on his face that was helpless against. Out of all possible times, he chose now to speak without thinking. The embarrassment was too real. Suddenly it seemed like the world stopped and there was nothing and no sound around them but the single cricket chirping to make things even more awkward between them. Kari's eyes widened a bit and it seemed like her big brown eyes were staring deep into his for ages. He noticed slight pink forming beautifully on her cheeks, big eyes still fixed on his. She then looked down at the dresses in her arms and fidgeted shyly with the end of the fabric. Feeling like he was going crazier than he already was, he could have sworn he saw a faint smile form on her rosy lips. He, too, grew redder by the second and now he felt too warm for comfort at this point. At last finding the power to pen his mouth to speak, he thought he was finally in the clear. He thought wrong.

"I…I mean, a-adorable, you know," TK stumped upon his words, desperately trying to make up for what he just said, "Like, like a rabbit! Rabbits are adorable. N-not saying that you look like a rabbit or anything! But you're adorable in a rabbit sense like…aw, look at that rabbit, it's so adorable…!"

He then caught a glimpse of his hand in the air and realized that he's been using awkward hand motions for the past seconds he's been talking. He was just digging himself deeper into his own hole. He put his arms down slowly. _"Geez, so much for that good impression,_" he thought shamefully, _"She probably thinks you're so weird. W-why'd you even say that? What were you thinking? Ugh! That must of made me feel really uncomfortable. Look, she looks so red…so cute…No! Snap out of it TK. Say something to her! Should I apologize? No, that'll just make things more awkward and she'll think you're even more weird and…and…ugh." _His mind was a train wreck waiting to happen. Accepting that he was not going to be able to save himself, he breathed out a sigh of defeat and an embarrassed laugh.

"Sooo, I see you found a dress?" TK recovered stiffly, finding any possible way to change the subject and prevent further emotional torture.

"H-Huh?" Kari blinked, breaking their stare as she looked down at the dresses in her arms, "O-oh right. The dresses…?"

TK raised a brow. She almost looked oblivious as to why she was holding the darn things in the first place. After five long seconds of staring dully at the clothing, her eyes then snapped back to life.

"Yeah, I did!" Kari said rather loudly, clearing her throat and regaining her posture, "No thanks to you, Mr. I-Get-Lost-Looking-For-Restrooms!"

Despite that Kari sounded like she was really trying to ease the awkward tension between them—again, much to TK's embarrassment—he didn't mind. TK actually felt a bit calmer that she was being playful again, as opposed to acting completely isolated and freaked out like he predicted she would after him calling her 'adorable like a rabbit'. Kari held out each dress in each hand in front of him and gleamed with pride. In front of him was two solid color dresses, pastel yellow and peach, of the same style: knee length, puffed sleeves, curved around with a silk white ribbon on the waist area, scoop necked, and a small heart cut out on the back just below the neck. Far less revealing than the last dress Kari tried to make him like, so that was a definite plus. However, the idea of her wearing such a flowy dress around where sleezy men could easily manipulate her in their minds made him feel uneasy. But he wasn't going to tell her that and have her think he's awfully protective of her after just a day's met…not yet, anyways. Shaking those thoughts out of his head, he just gave her his best approving smile.

"Looks nice," he managed to say.

"Doesn't it?" Kari gleamed, embracing the dresses, "I really think I got the perfect dress. Lucky me! It suits the care so perfectly, don't you think? Wait; don't answer that, I already know! Plus, get this! You remember how I said I wanted a different color for every day of the week for Yolei and I? Well, unfortunately, they only had these two colors in stock, but fortunately, I could buy the other colors online now and I could just pick it up tomorrow!" She dug a paper out of her purse and showed him a check-list of the dresses and the total amount for all of them typed on the bottom, "Isn't this great? Pretty soon my café will be legitimately complete! I'm so excited."

Once again, he was completely helpless from the warm smile that found its way to his lips as he examined Kari's adorable—he grew red from the word—reaction. The way her eyes sparkled as she spoke about how happy she was, and how determined she looked as she spoke about her café made her look like a more confident and beautiful girl in his eyes. It was almost impossible for him to note stare at her in admiration. He wasn't even going to deny it anymore. He was indeed in complete admiration of her, and how crazy he was about her just couldn't be helped anymore. TK was in love with this girl, point done. If falling in love with someone after a day made a man insane, then he was the most insane of all. Her charming smile, her big eyes, her soft hair, her sweet voice, her gentle, yet violent, touch—he was crazy about it all. Crazy for her. This very moment he realized he was really in love with her, and this labeled the one thing after so long that he was finally sure about. Without hesitation, he gently removed the dresses from Kari's arms, along with the paper she held, and gave her the loving smile he's been longing to show.

"Don't worry, I got you on this."

(shift)

Kari glanced up at him dumbfounded as the dress escaped hostage from her arms, "What?"

"My treat," TK responded sweetly, still giving her that killer smile that could make any girl's heart melt, "Don't worry about it."

The way he looked at her with that handsome smile suddenly made her feel a little shy, which confused her. It was as if his smile jabbed right through her heart and released rapid butterflies that were waiting to come out. Without even realizing it, she saw TK make his way to the counter. Kari snapped out of it and quickly grabbed his arm before he can get any further. Despite being distracted by her thoughts, she was still extremely appalled about him offering to pay.

"You're crazy," Kari exclaimed with an exasperated laugh, "Did you NOT see the total? Each dress is like $30! It's almost $500 all together! There's no way I can make you pay for all of that!"

"Kari, please," he chuckled, trying to give her a look of strong reassurance, "If I told you my deepest secret, would you let me pay?"

Being awfully curious, she tried hard to maintain her ground by crossing her arms and looking tough, "I highly doubt I would, but what's the secret?"

TK looked around secretly, pretending there was no one to hear him. Kari almost laughed at how obvious he was being. He then leaned closer to her and placed his hand by his mouth to 'secretly' communicate with her. She could smell his scent at this distance. It was divine.

"Between you and me," he whispered loudly, almost making Kari burst into the laugher she's desperately trying to hold, "I'm actually a rich bachelor who secretly works two jobs as a doctor and a CEO of a huge company. I didn't want to tell you this because I feared you'd only want to be my friend for my money. So don't worry, I have a lot to blow."

Kari stared at him stupidly for about three long seconds before her laughter broke loose. She removed her hold on him and smacked his arm again playfully.

"You are so weird!" Kari laughed, "That's so not true!"

"But it is, Miss Kari," TK replied with a grin, "Believe it or not."

"Fine, I'll believe you," Kari said, returning the playful grin, "In that case, I'll have one of everything in this store, please."

"Oh, so you did only want me for my money?" TK asked, acting offended.

"Duh, Mr. CEO. They don't call me high-maintenance for nothing!"

Kari and TK both then started to laugh at their little roleplay game. Sincere happiness was the top emotion she felt as she laughed along with the strangely cool blond boy. She gazed at his face and examined his lively features. He gave off such a welcoming vibe; it was just so easy for her to feel comfortable around him. She didn't want to complain nor question why she clicked so easily with a guy she just met, especially when that guy is really fun to be around. It saddened her a bit as to why she did not meet him sooner, considering he's the younger brother of her brother's best friend, who she just so happens to be close to as well. As the laughter slowly died down, Kari gently placed her hand on his arm and gave him a slightly ashamed look.

"Seriously though, TK," Kari said, trying real hard not to sound ungrateful, "That' just a lot to pay and I feel like we haven't known each other long enough for you to do stuff like that for me…"

She felt an immediate spark travel up her arm and towards her stomach as TK softly placed his hand upon hers that was on his arm. The feeling was so unexpected; she even let out a soft gasp as the flutters in her stomach increased. Kari looked down at their hands and back up at TK, just to catch glances right away. Her face warmed up, slightly embarrassed that TK caught her staring. Before she could react, TK once again gave her that heart meddling smile as he softly squeezed her hand and gently moved it off his arm. His hands were warm. Eyes still locked, he spoke.

"Then let's get to know each other."

With just that, TK turned back around, shifted the dresses up in a more comfortable position, and walked towards the registers. Kari just stared, still frozen in complete wonder. She wasn't quite sure how to feel. The favor was beyond helpful and she was grateful, but why he would do such a thing for her was a blur. She only knew this guy for less than two days, and he was already doing things that a boyfriend would typically do for his girl. Kari's body stiffened. Boyfriend. An image of Davis flashed through her mind, and she immediately frowned. She couldn't recall the last time Davis acted like a boyfriend. The only time he does is when he does something wrong, but sometimes that's not even completely sincere. It was always 'forgive and never bring it up again' with him. She then sighed, remembering their last argument. _"Ugh, forgot I still have to deal with that later," _Kari thought in annoyance. She looked over again at TK and saw that he was laughing and having a conversation with the clerk. Kari suddenly felt her nerves settle down. It was pretty calming just watching him. He was just so cool and so easy to get along with; the vibe always seemed so peaceful around him. So far, TK's done to her what an ideal boyfriend would do: make sure she's safe and undisturbed, open doors for her, hold her purse, and now spend loads of money on things she wants! Kari then giggled softly, _"But then again, he did say he was a gentleman." _A small smile found its way to her lips as her giggles faded. _"He probably has a girlfriend. There's no way he could possible be this gentleman-like without having a girl to always be so gentleman-like to." _She didn't notice her smile slowly disappearing, _"Lucky her". _

"_Wait…huh?" _Kari thought, realizing the poor choice of words she just now produced, _"Lucky her? Uh, lucky her, as in she's lucky to have a guy like him, like good for her! Y-yeah, that's what I meant…of course that's what I meant! What else could I have possibly meant by that? Geez Kari, get a grip! Aren't you supposed to be doing something and not stand around or…"_

"Lost again, space cadet?"

Kari jumped at the sound of TK's voice, obviously not aware that he's been standing before her holding already purchased items. She heard TK chuckle at her reaction. She pouted and glared up at him.

"You scared me!" Kari whined, smacking his poor arm what seemed like the millionth time today, "How long were you standing there?"

"Long enough to see you zone out again," TK laughed, flexing his arm as if to make it easier for her to punch, "A lot on your mind?"

"Eh, I guess you can say that," Kari muttered. Her eyes shifted towards the shopping bag he was holding. Guilt once again formed on her face, "I seriously can't believe you bought all of this. I feel so bad."

"Don' be!" TK said, reaching into the bag and handing her the receipt, "Turns out you miscalculated, space cadet. The dresses are on sale for $10, as opposed to $30. Plus, if you spend over $100, you get 20 percent off the entire purchase…geez, I don't know how you girls go shopping all the time. So complicated. Great deals, but still complicated."

Kari unfolded the receipt and gapped at how it cost way less than what she expected. $112 compared to almost $450. However, it'd be much more pleasing to the eye if it came out of her wallet and not his. $100 was still a lot of money. Her face sunk again, guilt washing all over her. _"I still can't believe he paid," _she thought sadly, _"What more, I let him pay! Man, why didn't I stop him? So rude of me, he probably thinks…"_

"I hope you don't think I'm a creep or anything," TK said with a somewhat nervous laugh, interrupting her thoughts, "For, you know, paying for all of this."

TK, too, seemed like he was flustered with his own thoughts. Kari couldn't help but think he looked like a little boy who was trying to explain himself for doing something wrong. It was adorable, but too adorable to the point where Kari wanted to pinch his cheeks so badly. She shook off her thoughts, took in what he said, and stared at him confusingly. She found the word 'creep' to be a real strange word choice.

"Why would you think that?" she then let out a sad laugh, "I mean, I'm not going to lie. I am confused on why you bought it. Sale or not, that's still a lot of money! If anything, I hope you don't think I'm taking advantage of you. Now that I think of it, I've totally been forcing you to do things for me since we've met…and that was just yesterday!"

Both were already walking out the door as Kari finished her statements. Kari looked up at TK with the corner of her eye and saw that he was deep in his thoughts and a little red in the face. She gulped. _"Hopefully I didn't insult him." _While his random expressions were enjoyable to examine, the suddenness of it all tends to get her a little nervous. After a few long seconds, TK stretched upwards and casually laughed.

"You're right. It was just yesterday, huh?" he said a bit quietly with a small smile, "Feels like it's been a little longer."

There was that smile again. He spoke in such a heart-warming manner, and it was undeniable that it was physically and emotionally appealing. She eyed back forward, not wanting him to notice her staring with her now warm face. He was right. For some reason, it did feel like he's been a part of her life for way long than just a day. That normally wasn't the case when she first meets other people. But then again, Kari brought the reminder to herself that she rarely interacted with boys. Perhaps this was just their nature, she presumed. She instantly clicked with Yolei when they first met, so it was safe to think that TK was no different. _"But still," _she thought, a bit happily, _"He's still very cool." _

"I know, huh?" Kari said, "I feel like I've known you for the longest."

"Do you really?" TK asked instantly, excitement shining through his voice.

She was never going to get tired of his expressions—they were just the cutest! One second, he was the guy with the killer smile, then the next he was the adorable little boy.

"Of course I do! It's so weird, but the good kind of weird," she laughed, but then her face then softened, "But I still don't get why you would…I-I just hope you don't think I forced you to—"

"First off, space cadet," TK interrupted, placing a hand on her shoulder, making them both stop in their tracks, "It's not called forcing if I wanted to do it. And second off, my mom always told me to pay when I'm on a date, especially the first date." That darn killer smile found it's way back to his mouth, "And this is a date, right?"

The way his eyes shined when he smiled was just so irresistibly handsome; she couldn't help but stare. The fact that TK follows the advice of his mother on how to treat a girl made him even more charming. Kari was caught in a daze. It was undeniable that he has a girlfriend at this point.

"You said yourself," TK chuckled, rather shyly as he removed his hand from her shoulder and rubbed the back of his neck. His child persona was again revealed.

"Yeah," Kari breathed, smiling back up at him as her senses came back to her, "Our first."

Strange feelings started to overwhelm her. It was like a borderline between happy and guilty. Happy because of being able to meet such a nice guy like TK, but guilty because…she couldn't even comprehend why she felt guilty. It wasn't even about the purchases anymore. She couldn't put her finger on it, but what she did know is that she did not like the feeling at all. Trying her best to neglect that dreadful feeling, Kari laughed softly in defeat.

"I suppose there's no way I'm winning this argument, huh?" Kari laughed as she brushed her hair behind her ears.

"Nope," TK said proudly, "Enjoying the taste of your own medicine?"

"Not one bit," she responded, playfully sticking out her tongue and making a disgusted face, "But thank you, really. It means a lot that you did this for me."

"You're very welcome," he said happily, as if finally relieved to hear her gratitude, "Now was that so hard?"

"Oh shush! You're lucky I let this slide," Kari exclaimed, joining into the playfulness, "Normally I would put you through torture!"

"But you did," TK grinned.

"Oh? And when was that?"

"When you made me try that banana chocolate cup of evil."

"How dare you!" Kari gasped as she once again made TK's arm her victim, "How is that torture? I did you a favor! That is a very popular flavor, for your information. In fact…"

Kari looked over TK's shoulder and saw YogurtSome right behind him, a customizable self-serve frozen yogurt shop. A playful grin was revealed on the brunette's face. She linked her arm with TK's, locked it tight, and pulled him towards the shop.

"I'm going to make you eat those words," Kari said with a hint of evil, "Literally!"

Once they were inside, she unlinked their arms and stood in front of him. His face revealed confusion, nervousness and slight discomfort. Her grinned widened. _"He thought that was torture? Wait until he gets a load of this!" _Kari clapped her hands together to get his full attention.

"Here's the deal," she started, reaching for the empty cups besides him, "Turn around. Don't ask why…! Good. Now I'm going to get us some frozen yogurt. I'm going to pay, and you're going to wait for me here. No turning around! Crystal clear? Wait, don't answer, I don't want to hear you try to defy me. La, la, la, la, la!"

With that, she started walking towards the yogurt dispensers. She filled up hers first with strawberry frozen yogurt, since her cup was not relevant to her plan. Balancing that in between her arm and chest, she then put forward TK's cup and snickered quietly, _"Oh, I know what flavor you'll like, Mr. Bitter!" _Kari quickly scooted over towards the dispenser labeled 'coffee' and filled his up to the top. Worried that TK was going to peek soon, she hurried over to the toppings and piled his cup with chocolate syrup and banana slices. The evil laughter in her started to rise; the excitement to have him try it was too much to handle! After tossing her usual toppings n her yogurt—cheesecake bits and graham cracker crumbs—she finally made her way to the register. She placed the cups on the weighing scale and started rummaging through her purse for her wallet. Suddenly, the worker cleared her throat, catching Kari's attention.

"Are you Kari?" she asked.

Kari raised a brow, "Yes?"

"Your total comes up to $5.31, but a blond guy gave me a 10 earlier to pay for you," she replied dully as she casually opened the register, "So here's your change."

"_Blond guy…?" _Kari thought confusingly, but then knew who she was referring to almost a half second later, _"Oh my god, he did NOT." _She swiftly turned around only to see TK staring right at her. Obviously she caught him off guard because the moment they made eye contact, TK clumsily turned back around. Kari scoffed, _"How did I not see that?" _She stomped her way over to him, but before she can even confront him, TK slowly turned around with the most apologetic face. It got her speechless.

"Okay, I know you said not to pay, but I could almost hear my mom scolding me in my head, so I couldn't help it," TK admitted, then he tried to add a little humor to ease the tension, "Sorry, gentleman-instinct."

Kari felt mixed emotions. She opened her mouth to scold him, but closed it up upon realizing how sweet his reason sounded. Instead, she just pouted and once again sighed in defeat.

"I really wanted to pay for you though," she said sadly, handing him his yogurt.

"Chocolate?" TK asked instantly, eyes shining in excitement as he held the cup.

Kari just stared with a slight chuckle of amusing escaping her lips. She almost forgot about her initial plan! There he was, looking like a little boy again; a little boy excited to eat his ice cream, or in this case: yogurt. Kari then found herself grinning once she realized how she could take advantage of this situation. He was obviously deceived by the chocolate syrup.

"Yes," Kari replied, grin still planted, "Chocolate."

TK's face lit up right away at the word. He scoped up a spoonful of the frozen yogurt with the syrup and a banana slice. Kari continued to stare with great anticipation. The closer the spoon got to his mouth, the moor she wanted to just jump and scream her menacing plan. Finally, he stuck the spoon in his mouth and automatically froze, one eye twitching. Now Kari's grin was from ear-to-ear. By just the looks of it, her plan was a complete success. She then took a scoop of her yogurt and happily stuck it in her mouth. Her grin wouldn't leave.

"Yummy, right?" Kari teased, stuffing another spoonful in her mouth, "I love frozen yogurt!"

TK swallowed hard and stared at the cup in confusion, "This isn't chocolate…"

"It isn't?" Kari asked sarcastically, acting surprised, "I had no idea."

Now catching on that he's been tricked, TK blurted out the obvious, "You tricked me!"

"No, I'd like to think of it more as a strategy," Kari mocked, recalling his words when he first tricked her back at the café, "You should know."

"Nice word play," he admitted, looking up from the cup, "What is this anyways? It tastes a lot like…"

"My chocolate banana latte?" Kari completed with her mischievous grin, "Did you honestly think I was going to let you get away with paying for my clothes, my yogurt, and insulting my lattes? Ha, please. I told you, I normally torture."

"And you honestly think that I'm going to actually finish this?" he teased back.

"Well, t is your money, and it would suck if you put it to waste," her eyes then lowered, purposely giving him a sad look, "Plus, I did put a lot of tender, love and care into making that for you. So it'd be a shame if you didn't finish it…"

Kari peeked up from her lowered eyes, expecting a sassy reaction from the blond, but instead, he was quiet and lost in his thoughts as he stared deeply into the yogurt. She raised a brow. Before she could ask him what was wrong, he took another scoop of the yogurt and put it in his mouth. Kari's eyes widened and her mouth dropped. That didn't go according to plan. She was going to speak but once again, TK beat her to it.

"You're right," he said with a shaky smile, eye again twitching, "It would be shame."

Taken aback from his reaction, she just stared. Despite that not being the reaction she wanted—which was TK spatting out in despair—it made her happy. Hearing TK say that as well as him forcing himself to consume something that his taste buds obviously do not approve of just to please her made her feel so…cared for. It also made her look awfully dominant and bossy over him, but she shook that thought out of her head. She smiled happily.

"Now was _that _so hard?" Kari copied, linking their arms together, "It's yummy!"

"Delicious," he responded, trying not to sound too sarcastic.

"Good," she said, mixing her yogurt as they began to walk, "Now lets head back to the car. I'm tired. I think it's best I just get dropped off, since it's on the way. You know where I live, right? And you better finish that!"

"Yes, ma'am, pretty sure I know where Tai lives," TK chuckled, poking at the yogurt with his spoon, "And don't worry, didn't intend on leaving a single drop."

"Better!"

The two made their way out of the mall, arm-in-arm and towards the car. Kari couldn't get over how comfortable and easy it was to be around him. She had to admit, she did link their arms without thinking, but TK didn't show any sign of restraint. She assumed he wouldn't have allowed her to do so if he didn't approve. Kari smiled at the idea of TK not minding the stuff she does to and with him. It sort of made her excited to make new friends, considering how simple it was to gain a connection with TK. She then remembered again that TK was one of the first boys she has interacted with in a while. _"It can't be too different…" _Kari thought solemnly, referring to making friends with both girls and boys. That nasty feeling of both happiness and guilt from earlier overwhelmed her again. She couldn't help but feel she was doing something wrong; something wrong to him. The thought of her ever doing him wrong made her feel so sad. _"But why do I feel so bad for…?" _Kari thought desperately. The sound of the car unlocking interrupted her thoughts. She heard TK chuckle as he unlinked their arms to open the door for her.

"You're beginning to worry me. I feel like your mind is a time bomb waiting to explode!"

"Oh, uh," Kari scratched her head and let out an exasperated laugh as she entered the car, "I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" TK asked. He closed her door, quickly made his way to the drivers side and continued with a short laugh, "I guess what I'm trying to say was that you've been spacing out a lot today. What's on your mind?"

"I haven't been spacing out!" Kari responded, but then sighed when TK gave her the raised brow of disbelief, "I don't know. Guess it's just been a long day."

"You know," TK said as he started the car and backed up from the parking space, "I may not be a psychologist, but I'm sure talking about it will make you feel a little better. If you want to, of course."

Kari looked down at her slightly melted yogurt. Despite really wanting to talk about her feelings, she was clueless on what to tell him. She couldn't tell him that she was thinking about why she felt guilty, nor did she want to tell him about her 'little' quarrel she had with Davis. It would be troublesome to burden him with her personal drama. He was right though; there was a lot on her mind. Majority of her thoughts, minus the whole nasty feeling and Davis, was about TK. His random expressions, his insanely gorgeous smile, his comforting words, his gentleman persona, his friendly personality, his laugh, his warmth—every little thing he did got her mind running marathons around him. TK cleared his throat, causing her mind to take a quick break from that marathon.

"I'm sorry if you're mad about me paying for the dresses and yogurt," TK said shyly, "If that's what you've been thinking about."

"N-no!" Kari instantly reassured, caught off guard, "I'm not mad at all. I'll admit that I'm still shocked about it, but I'm very grateful and definitely not mad! Kari then took a deep breath, now deciding that she'll give a piece of her mind, "To be honest, I've been thinking about you a lot today."

"Oh?"

"But not in a bad way at all! In a very good way, actually."

"Really? Like how?" TK asked, sounding very eager to know.

"You know," Kari started, sounding a little timid, "Just like how easy it was for us to become friends. We did officially just meet yesterday, but I feel like we've known each other for years. I don't really know how to explain it. I feel like we instantly clicked and that we have this special connection or something. Like, you're just so fun to be around and I already feel so comfortable around you…I don't know," she then laughed softly, "I never really had much guy friends, so it's really nice to be this close to one so fast."

TK stayed quiet, so Kari continued in order stray away from possible awkward silence, "You're also like really nice to me when I, I'll admit, have been really bossy with you. I know you say that it's not really forcing when you want to do it, but the fact that you still did all this for me when you didn't have to means a whole lot. It makes me happy. I don't know. I guess what I'm really trying to say is that I'm very glad we met."

Kari looked up from her slightly watery yogurt and turned her head to look at TK. He looked so focused. It sort of made Kari nervous for his reaction. Although she knew she said nothing bad, an immediate response from him would have been much more satisfying than his silence. Embarrassment then came over her. _"I must've made him feel really awkward!" _Kari thought, groaning in her head, _"Actually, I did sound pretty cheesy now that I think of it…ugh! He's probably not going to say anything at all for the entire—"_

"How funny," TK said finally with a short chuckle and a sweet smile, "I've been thinking about that too."

"Really? Kari asked in relief, though not knowing whether she was relieved he finally spoke or relieved that he's been thinking the same way.

"Yeah, a lot actually," TK admitted bashfuly, color forming on his cheeks.

"What do you mean?" Kari asked eagerly, adjusting her posture more towards him, "Like the exact same feelings or?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, I didn't expect us to get this close either. But then again, I didn't know what to expect; everything was just so sudden," TK then laughed, "But in a good way! When I first met you, I thought you were pretty cool."

"_Pretty_ cool?" Kari teased, giddiness consuming her.

"Okay, okay. _Really_ cool," TK gave in, another laugh escaping, "But I realized with these hours I've been with you that you are much more than just…cool. You're…I don't really know how to put this in words either," TK's face seemed to be getting redder as he continued to speak, "To be honest, I don't know why I suddenly feel so nervous right now."

Keeping one hand on the wheel, he brought his other hand to his face as if trying to hide its color. Kari felt the strange flutters in her stomach again; he just looked so cute, flustered and all. What got her the most was the fact that he was acting or feeling that way because of _her. _He was nervous because of her It made her ponder on what effect she actually has on him. Again, she didn't know whether to feel flattered or bad that she's making him nervous. TK then took a deep breath and smiled as he placed his hand back on the wheel.

"I guess what _I'm _really trying to say is that I'm also very glad we met," he said before taking in another deep breath, "I know it's only been a day, but I really can't imagine my life without you."

Immediately after saying so, TK braked suddenly, causing them to both jolt forward. Kari looked at him with huge eyes. TK had the same look, but his eyes were fixed forward on the road. He looked beyond embarrassed with his wide eyes and red face. Kari, too, was caught off guard with what he said. She felt her face get warmer by just thinking about it. But before she can get into deeper thought regarding it, TK broke the silence.

"I-I mean, it would suck if I never met you!" TK stammered awkwardly, "Like it's cool that we met. V-very cool! My life would pretty much suck without you—Ah! I mean, you're like a sunshine on a…oh my god, no wait I meant…ugh!"

"W-whoa there!" Kari exclaimed in worry as she quickly put her hand on his arm to calm him down, "Why are you so embarrassed? That was a really sweet thing to say!"

His body temperature seemed a bit more warm than usual. He appeared to be very flustered. Kari stared at him in both worry and amusement. There was that unexpected switch of his again: from Mr. Suave to 10-year-old TK. Once the light turned green and as he slowly continued to drive, she felt his body finally tense down. Kari removed her hold on him and looked at him with concern.

"Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah," TK breathed out, also letting out an embarrassed laugh, "I'm sorry. I told you I didn't know how to put this into words."

"Pfft! So that was you trying to explain it" Kari laughed, remembering the sight of him earlier, "You poor thing! It was like gibberish!"

"Okay, laugh it up, space cadet. I'll admit that was pretty ridiculous."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh," Kari grinned, settling back down on her seat, "But it was like you had a mini panic attack, which made me freak out a little and we were both freaking out and I don't know. I guess it was pretty funny."

TK laughed, covering his face with his hand again. Hearing him laugh and seeing him get more embarrassed made her laugh even more. Eventually both of them were just laughing at the whole situation. Every ounce of worry Kari once had seemed to disappear with the laughter. It was as if being with him removed any possible stress she had to deal with. She felt so happy, so relieved. Kari took a deep breath to calm down. TK also calmed down, and once he took his own breath of air, he spoke.

"But you kind of get it, right?" he asked a tad bit shyly with a smile, "What I was trying to say?"

Kari took a moment to think back about everything prior to their laughter fest. _"What did he man?" _Kari thought humbly. He did say earlier that he's been thinking a lot about the stuff she's been thinking of, so it was safe for her to assume that he felt the same way she did towards each other. That assumption made her smile; TK feeling that Kari was a great friend, as much as she feels of him, was a great thing to know. His actions since they met ran through her mind. The flour incident, the latte bet, the "nice guy" conversation, the mall date, him paying for the clothes, him paying for the yogurt, him simply being gentleman-like—it was all so unreal. Unreal in a sense where it all happened so fast, yet it feels like it has been ages. Then memories of his words came to mind as well:

"_You said you already gave me the chance to hang out with you. That's all I really need."_

"_Maybe I'm just a nice guy."_

"_I'd never get tired of someone as adorable as you."_

"_Then let's get to know each other."_

"_And this is a date, right?" _

"_I really can't imagine my life without you."_

His words just made the butterflies in her heart flutter uncontrollably. She didn't quite understand that feeling, but she sure didn't hate the feeling either. His words were just so kind and so genuinely charming. It all felt very refreshing. He was like that scent of fresh air anyone would love to have after a stressful day. He was her fresh air. Kari blushed. _He _was _her_ something. The idea that TK was already considered something very essential to her was very surprising. A happy smlile came to her face. _"He feels the same way I do, too," _she thought with glee, _"We're going to be the best of friends."_

"Yeah," she said blissfully, "I get it."

Before she knew it, TK was pulling up to the driveway of her home. She stared around in slight confusion. Something about their car rides together always made it seem very short. Kari blamed herself for getting lost in her thoughts too much to keep track of time. 'Space Cadet' really wasn't a mere exaggeration anymore. Once TK fully parked the car, he took a deep breath, looked at her, and smiled.

"Here we are."

That smile of his was going to get the worse, or the best, of her someday. She smiled back while unbuckling her seatbelt, "Here we are indeed. Time just flew by, didn't it?"

"Tends to happen when we're together, I guess," TK chuckled as he stepped out of the car, quickly made his way to her and opened her door, "Hard to believe we were gone for some hours."

Kari gave him a weird look, amused at the casualty of his gentleman actions. It was so natural! She laughed and playfully smacked him on the arm as she let herself out, "You're so weird!"

"I open a door for a girl, and suddenly, I'm weird?" TK asked with a short laugh.

"Yes!" Kari exclaimed slightly exasperated, though smile still on her face, "I thought guys stopped opening doors for girls centuries ago!"

"I'm not like other guys," TK replied with a grin, locking the door.

"Oh, please. That line is so overused. It's completely ironic! Most guys….hey," Kari paused, realizing his empty hands, "Where's your yogurt?"

TK blinked and stared at her confusingly, "I finished it."

"You did?" she asked, just as confused, "When?"

"Before we got to the car after the mall," TK replied slowly, "You didn't notice? I threw it away in the trash by the tree we parked next to. I did it before you stepped in the car."

"You did?" Kari asked again, sounding even more confused. She peeked at the car windows and saw no yogurt cup at al, "You finished it _all_?"

"Well, yeah," TK said, rubbing his arm shyly like a kid, "You told me to."

The innocence in both his eyes and voice made it unnecessary for her to think twice. Although, mixed emotions came to her yet again. While she was happy that TK actually consumed the yogurt, she was a little bit bummed that she didn't get to see it happen. A light bulb then flashed on in her head. She thought of something that could make this all the more better for her. She smiled up at TK.

"We have to take a picture!" Kari exclaimed excitedly, "In honor of our successful date and you finishing your yogurt!"

"A picture…?" TK said slowly with a nervous smile.

"Yes, a picture!" Kari gleamed, digging through her purse for her phone, "Ugh, I can't find my phone under all this…let's just use yours and you can send it to me!"

"I'm not really a picture-taking kind of guy—" he was then cut off by Kari's menacing glare, "Ok, ok. Picture it is. You win."

"Don't I always?" Kari snickered as she watched him pull out is iPhone from his pocket and unlock it.

"Of us together?"

"No, of just me," Kari answered sarcastically and then laughed, "Of course of us together! Here, let me take it."

Kari grabbed his phone from his hands, stood in front of him, and opened the camera application. Switching the phone to its front view camera, she held out the phone far enough to fit both of them on the screen and smiled. TK stepped a little closer to fit better in the frame, with part of his chest touching her back. His divine scent circled them, alluring her.

"Ready?" she breathed, smiling right at the camera, "1…2…3."

Once she took the shot, she brought down the phone to view the photo. A happier smile came across her face. They both looked so happy, especially TK who flashed his killer smile in the shot. Kari examined her face and slightly pouted at how crooked her smile look.

"I look ugly," she whined.

"Let me see," TK persisted, looking over her shoulder, "No you don't!"

Kari turned around and gave him a deeper, baby-like pout, "But my smile—"

"Is beautiful," TK finished, chuckling as he pinched her cheek softly, "Now stop making that face or else it'll be stuck that way forever…as told by my mother."

Kari blushed, feeling the warmth of his touch on her cheek. Her pout slowly faded into an embarrassed, yet flattered, smile. _Beautiful. _Somehow that had a much better ring to it than _adorable. _She handed him back his phone, cleared her throat and moved a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"W-well, duh," Kari said, back to her persona, "I'm always beautiful."

"Haha, yes, yes," TK said as he stuffed his phone into his pocket, "Well, I should get going. My dog might panic if I forget to feed him."

"A dog?" Kari asked excited.

"Yeah, his name is Matt," TK laughed.

"You named your dog after your…?" Kari then got the joke and laughed along, "You're so mean!"

"I'd like to think of it more as…creatively accurate," he smirked as he pulled out his keys, "Alright, well, I'll see you later."

TK gave her one last smile and turned around to unlock his car. Kari froze. A strong urge to hold him back suffocated her. Somehow it felt like something was missing, or that something still had to be done. It was a very strange and sad feeling. The close he got into entering his car, the sadder she felt. She didn't feel complete. It was becoming too overwhelming. He opened his car door and was about to step in. Before he could sit, she finally realized what she was missing. Kari broke.

"Wait!"

TK stopped his movement clumsily, caught off guard from Kari's sudden exclamation. He looked at her. Kari blushed. Now she started to feel nervous, especially with his enticing green-blue eyes examining her. But she figured she better speak up now before her nervousness got the worst of her. She spread out her arms and smiled.

"What?" she asked with a nervous laugh, though trying to keep her confident posture, "No hug?"

TK stared at her with an expression Kari couldn't even read. It was caught between a look of awe and…admiration? Kari's heart started to beat. There she was, standing before him with open arms and a nervous heart. _"Why am I nervous?" _Kari thought, _"I'm asking for this! It's just a hug…!" _Before Kari could continue with her thoughts, she heard TK chuckle. Her focus went straight towards him as he walked towards her with that charming smile of his. For some reason, she paced herself. Both nervousness and excitement intoxicated her. Suddenly, she felt a rush of warmth circle around her body. He was finally hugging her! His firm arms embraced her and once fully around her, she felt him slight squeeze. A strange sensation traveled throughout her body, especially to her heart. The butterflies were getting out of control. She felt so warm, so comfortable, and so…safe. Kari smiled as he held her close. Kari wrapped her arms around him as well. _This _was that missing feeling she felt earlier. His embrace was what she needed to feel complete. She needed him to feel complete.

She then felt his arms slowly unwrap from her body. Kari blinked. The question of how long they've been hugging hit her. TK stepped back and gave her a smile. His face was red again; he looked just as nervous as her! Kari looked down and laughed softly as she moved a strand of hair away from her face. She looked up only to share glances with TK. Their eyes locked and immediately she felt a spark. At this rate, it was as if the butterflies were viciously pounding against her heart to escape. Kari slight gasped as a result of that feeling. She took a step back and laughed awkwardly, obviously feeling embarrassed.

"Ha ha ha, w-well, will you look at the time!" Kari stammered.

"Y-yeah! I better get going, Matt might be worried!" TK said, laughing just as awkwardly.

"Wouldn't want to worry your dog!" Kari exclaimed, unable to control her gawked laughter.

"Dog…? O-oh right, Matt! Ha ha ha. Right..." he then rubbed his arm, face still as red as ever as he spoke, "Well, I should go. It was nice hanging out with you today. Do I see more in the future?"

"Y-yeah! You know where to find me!" Kari chirped, now unable to get in contact with her personal to say anything witty.

TK nodded and smiled, "See you."

"See you," Kari replied, smiling back.

TK then walked back towards his car. Kari just stayed where she was, watching him. He entered his car, started it up and looked at her. With that beautiful smile of his, he waved and backed out of the driveway. Kari waved back, watching hi drive off. Once fully out of sight, she let out a deep breath as if she's been holding it in for hours. She walked towards the door of her home and pulled out her keys to unlock it, but her thoughts of earlier encounter kept her from going further. _"Who WAS that?" _Kari thought, referring to herself, _"It was like I was a totally different person….'You know where to find me'? That's not what I wanted to say at all! Something more like 'depends if you drink more lattes' or something would have been so much better." _She slowly opened the door, entered the house and closed the door softly behind her before continuing her thoughts. _"What was that feeling? It was sudden; I felt like my heart was going to explode. O-over what? A hug?" _She then realized the incomplete feeling she had before their embrace. A frown formed on her lips, remembering how sad that feeling was. However, a smile immediately took its place when she remembered the embrace. The warmth, the protective hold, his smell—it all still lingered on her. She shook her head out of those thoughts, feeling a little embarrassed. _"It was just a hug I hug people all the time! T-That's probably why it felt so weird for him to just leave without a hug because I'm just so used to hugging people after a hang out!" _She then sighed.

"No big deal," Kari breathed out, exhausted by her own thoughts.

She pushed her hair back as she leaned her back against the door. If there was one thing she wasn't confused about, it would be that she did have fun today. Kari smiled faintly as memories of their hang out flashed in her head. He as just so fun; like anyone would just love to have his company. She stared at the yogurt in her hands, and giggled at the memory of TK taking his first bite of the yogurt she created for him. _"His face was so funny," _Kari thought. That strange feeling of incompleteness occurred to her once again as she looked back on the date. She started to missing everything about not just their date, but also everything about him. She missed his company. She missed him.

She _missed him. _Kari couldn't seem to fully wrap her mind around that. TK left no more than just five minutes ago! She didn't want to believe that she already missed him to the point where it saddens her. _"But I'm not going to lie," _Kari thought sadly, her faint smile fading, _"I guess I do miss him a little bit…" _Suddenly, the doorbell rang, startling her from her thoughts. She jolted off the door in surprise and swiftly turned around. _"Who could that be?" _she thought dully, but her eyes widened a second later. Her heart started to race. _"TK?" _An excited smile appeared on her face. The chance to see him again and fulfill that empty feeling she had was literally at her door. _"Maybe he forgot something?" _she thought giddily as she opened the door. She smiled.

"Forget someth—" Kari then froze, realizing who it actually was, "Davis?"

Before her stood the guy she'd least expect. Her once excited expression slowly turned into a confused one. She hasn't seen Davis since their argument earlier in the morning. For some reason, she couldn't find the power in her to move. She just stood there, staring at him. A slight wave o disappointment hit her and it hurt for a reason she couldn't make up. Before she could think more into that feeling, Davis leaned in and kissed her softly on her lips. Her eyes grew big, obviously caught off guard. Davis just grinned, completely oblivious to her shock.

"Hey, baby," Davis said sweetly, then noticed the yogurt cup in her hands, "It's a bit too cold for that, don't you think?"

"H-huh?" Kari managed to say, still in a slight stage of surprise, "Oh, uh, yeah…What brings you here?"

Davis tilted his head, "Can't a boyfriend visit his girl?" His face then lightened up, "Speaking of my girlfriend, I got you a little something."

Kari stared at him confusingly as he bent down to pick up a decorative wrapped box that was by his foot. She blinked. Apparently she was too stuck in awe earlier to realize the box. Once he stood up straight, he handed it towards her with a shy and apologetic smile.

"I hope you like it," Davis said with hint of pride in his voice, "I went through many stores to find the perfect one."

Kari slowly took the box from him and examined it. It was wrapped in a red wrapping paper with a white ribbon tied around it. There was a heart shaped paper hanging from the ribbon that caught her attention. Carefully, she pulled apart the paper and immediately became speechless at what she read: I'M SORRY. She looked at Davis stunned; this was completely new, and unexpected, of him. Davis smiled shyly and nodded towards it.

"Open it."

Kari took one more second for herself to ease down before unwrapping the gift. Underneath the red wrap was another box, but this time it was soft. She realized almost instantly that it was a jewelry box. Unable to control her curiosity much longer, she opened up the box and gasped. What she held was a beautiful golden charm bracelet with lavender flowers dangling around it as the charm. She pulled it out from the box and stared at it in amazement. It glistened brightly with the last of the sun's rays. She looked at Davis with a completely surprised look on her face.

"Davis, it's beautiful," she whispered, "But why?"

Davis just chuckled as he gently took the bracelet from her, placed her hand in his, and linked the bracelet around her wrist. Once the bracelet was on, he firmly grasped both her hands in his and brought it up to his lips. Kari blushed, in awe of his actions. Lips still upon her hands, Davis looked at her and sighed.

"I'm sorry for getting you mad, babe," Davis said sadly, "I honestly didn't mean to hurt you. I know you've heard this all before, and you probably think I don't mean it, but I do, Kari. I was a jerk and I'm sorry."

Kari just stared, feeling as if something was stuck in her throat whenever she tried to speak. A huge ball of emotion stroked her. She was happy, but she was sad, and at the same time, still very confused. This has to be one of the sweetest things Davis has ever done, as far as apologizing to her goes. This was what she wanted to hear. The sweetness in his voice made it sound so sincere, despite that she's heard it all before. She tensed. That was it: she heard it all before. It was a pattern with Davis because she forgave him all the time. She didn't want to be deceived by his kind words and the beautiful bracelet. But the temptation to no longer be fighting with him was too strong. Tears started to swell up in her eyes. It was then she knew she was about to forgive him again. The moment one tear fell from her eyes, Davis pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Oh, baby," Davis said sadly, holding her closer, "Don't cry."

Whenever someone told her to not cry when she's already crying, it only triggers her to cry even more. Face muffled against his chest, she helplessly let her tears fall.

"I don't want this to keep happening, Davis…" she managed to let out, shifting her head to the side to get some air.

"I know, it's my fault," Davis said softly, arms still around her, "I'm really sorry."

Kari couldn't find any power to say anything else. That strange feeling she once felt earlier with TK began to attack her again. It was that happy and guilty feeling, but this time, it was weighing more towards the guilty side. The feeling pained her heart; she even winced. Davis' arms slowly released her. He gently wiped the tears off her cheek with his thumb and smiled comfortingly.

"So, we're cool?"

Kari just nodded, still not finding her voice. As she wiped the remainder of her tears herself, Dais planted a quick kiss on her forehead. She blinked. She couldn't even keep up with how many times Davis caught her off guard with his random kisses.

"I have to go now, baby," Davis said, picking up and crumpling the wrapper that fell earlier, "I'm actually still on the clock at work, but I couldn't get you off my mind. I had to see you. And I'm glad I did."

Giving her one last hug, he stepped back and smiled. "Love you, babe. I'll call you later tonight, okay?"

"Okay," Kari said hoarsely, finally finding her voice.

Davis then turned around and walked towards his car. Once in, he looked at Kari, smiled and waved good-bye. Kari faintly waved back as she watched him drive away. She looked down at the bracelet around her wrist, and the moment she did, she also noticed the now melted yogurt cup in her hands. IT was almost as if Davis was on her wrist, and TK in her hands. Suddenly, that dreadful feeling crashed upon her again. However, this time, the guilt was weighing way too heavily upon her. Kari leaned against her door to calm her nerves as she took a moment to think: She wasn't expecting Davis to come over. She was expecting TK to be at her door. She missed TK. She missed his company. She missed his hug. She missed _him. _It then got to her as to why she felt so guilty: she felt happier around TK than she did with her own boyfriend. Kari slowly walked into the house with that thought heavy on her mind. _"Was it because I was just mad at Davis…?" _Kari thought, trying hard to understand, _"TK helped me get him off my mind and it worked." _She reflected on her actions with TK earlier at the mall. The arm linking, the smacks, the car rides, the laughs they shared, the surprises—it all seemed so emotionally intimate. Even just exchanging glances made her feel so…happy. _"But…"_Kari thought, now in complete worry, _"Did I take it too far?" _Now the feeling of guilt of doing something wrong to TK came back to her. She refused to believe that she was just using TK to get over her quarrel with Davis. It most definitely did not start or end off that way. _"But," _Kari thought again, frustrated with herself, _"What if I made him feel uncomfortable? And that he's just not saying anything about it? Was I too intimidating to the point where he can't even say no to me? Was I too awkward, too friendly? If Davis knew about this—" _Then it hit her: she was doing something without Davis' knowledge that could possibly bother him if he knew, while unintentionally creating awkward vibes with TK that could also bother him in the future. _"We're just friends, though," _Kari thought reassuringly, though with a hint of sadness, "Just…friends." Kari placed down her yogurt cup on the counter and then picked up her purse to take out her phone. She scrolled through her contacts and pressed on Davis' number. She didn't know what to do or how to feel anymore. The guilt was consuming her. Taking a deep breath, she slowly texted:

I love you.

After sending the message, she pondered. She figured that after sending that message, she'd feel better and that the guilt will just vanish. But instead, she felt…empty. Kari let out a sigh but before she could put down her phone, it made a sound indicating that she received a txt. She blinked. _"Weird…Davis normally doesn't text back this fast." _She looked at her phone and saw that an unknown number texted her. She opened the message and immediately her heart skipped a beat. Attached to the text was the photo of her and TK that she took earlier. Underneath the photo was a message:

_Hey, Kari! It's TK. You forgot to give me your number, so I asked Matt so I can send you the photo. Hope that doesn't make me a stalker? LOL just kidding. Anyways, thanks again for today. _

_I miss you. _

Kari's heart wouldn't stop racing. She continued to stare at the message, smile not being able to hold back any longer. He misses her too! She wasn't the only one feeling that way! It was such a coincidence how she was just thinking about how much she missed him, and then she unexpectedly receives a text from TK himself saying how much he missed her. The whole thing was heart bending. Kari felt a huge sensation of relief travel through her as she looked at the message. In a very excited manner, she began to text back:

_I miss you too…_

Abruptly before she could press send, she stopped what she was doing and her smile faded. She stared blankly at her response, feeling very odd. For some reason, something did not feel right. She no longer had any will power to send the message. Once again, guilt was overwhelming her for reasons she was so desperate to know. She felt guilty for sending Davis that message. She felt guilty for even producing this message for TK. She couldn't help but she was doing something wrong to the both of them, yet she did understand why because it was all out of good intentions. Davis was her boyfriend, but she felt strange telling him she loves him. TK was her now very close friend, but she also felt strange telling him she misses him. Those messages were nothing but ordinary. But she was hurt. She was very hurt, and she did not know who to blame.

Kari slowly deleted the message she was about to send TK and stuffed her phone back into her bag. Numb to her emotions, she walked into her room, laid upon her bed and fell asleep with hopes of a brighter day and better understandings.

**TBC**

**Thank you again to those who really stuck around and continued to wait to read the next chapter! I've learned my lesson to not ensure quicker chapters, when the delay could range from months to a year long! But I will try to not take that long to update. Anyways, I really hope you enjoyed the chapter! Funny how Kari sees TK as very close friend, while TK believes that Kari understands his liking for her, huh? I apologize if it was too long. In fact, this is one of my longest chapters in the history of my fan fictions. I was having a little too much fun with this chapter. I figured since the delay has been over a year, I'd provide a longer chapter. I know it all has a very cliché feel to it, but trust me when I say there are many unexpected twists and turns ahead! Regardless, I hope you all enjoyed it! Please continue to read and review. It will mean a whole lot to me! **

**R&R**


	6. Sweet Dreams

**Hello, readers! Again, I would like to express my HUGE gratitude for your patience with this story and I. While I cannot promise quick enough updates (though I will try), I will promise that I will finish this story because this one holds a special place in my heart. Also, to once again make up for my delay, I have another long chapter ahead and I hope you enjoy!**

**A Whole Latte Love**

By iJutsu

**Chapter 6**

"Good morning."

A pair of warm arms circled around Kari from behind, halting her from her coffee brewing and waffle toasting. She felt the embrace tighten slight as he rested his head upon her shoulder, deeply inhaling her scent. The hold was so comfortable, so welcoming. Kari hummed happily at the feeling and let out a satisfied sigh before resuming to her quick breakfast fix.

"Morning," Kari replied sweetly, closing the lid of the brewer, "You're up early. How was your sleep? Did you rest well?"

"Felt a bit uncomfortable once you left," he mumbled, with his breath against her ear, sending shivers from her neck down, "You smell like coffee."

Kari reached over the toaster that just popped up the freshly toasted waffles, pulled them out and carefully put them on a plate, "Well, that's because I'm making some coffee. She then turned around slowly, keeping herself in his embrace, and stopped once she faced him, "Would you like some?"

Suddenly, Kari felt the warm hand that was once around her move slowly towards her face. With one arm still holding her close, he gently caressed her cheek. Kari felt her face grow warm beneath his touch. Abrupt feelings of shyness overcame her as he stared deep into her brown eyes. She eyed away timidly; her rapid heartbeats were uncontrollable at this point.

"Not really in the mood for coffee," he responded with a voice so low and so…sexy, "I'm craving something else."

"L-like what?" Kari asked quietly, incapable of her preventing her nervous stutter.

"She felt his eyes lower, "Something…sweet."

"The arousal caused from his words allured into a drunken, numb state of mind. His caress from her cheek moved towards her chin, leaving a hot trail from his touch as he did so. Her breathing grew heaving. Her heart weight with need, with desire. It urged for him, and him only. His warm hand reached the bottom of her chin. Her heart leaped the moment she tilted her chin up, his face hovering even closer over hers. Kari kept her eyes fixed to the side, nervous to meet his gaze.

"Look at me, Kari," he whispered huskily.

Kari shyly looked up at him, sparks flying the moment she did. He smiled sweetly down at her, eyes burning with desire. His face began lowering towards hers. Her heart was racing at a thousand beats per second. Their eyes remained locked. Kari was frozen, foot pinned straight onto the ground because she dared not move. He was getting closer. She felt his breath tickle her lips, teasing her with his warmth. He held her closer, chest-to-chest, heartbeat-to-heartbeat. Closer. She inhaled deeply. Their lips were not more than a centimeter apart. Her eyes got heavy. They started slowly closing as she felt the lightest brush of his lips on her own. She braced herself.

He began to kiss her. She felt herself melt in his arms the instant his lips captured hers. He kissed her slowly, savoring each movement and each taste as she submitted herself to him. She was losing herself in his touch, her mind and heart at a complete bliss. His kiss was so sweet, so irresistible. She wrapped her arms around his neck to satisfy her desperate need for a more attentive hold…his hold. His arms lowered around her back. He slowly parted his face away, allowing heaving breathing between their lips. The sudden absence of his warm lips on hers bothered her. She wanted him intensively. She thought it stopped. But id didn't. It far from stopped. The moment she opened her mouth to confront, he covered her mouth yet again with his. He held her tighter, shielding her like a prized possession. His warmth, his sweet aroma, and the feeling of his soft lips as they kissed intoxicated her. He deepened the kiss, cherishing her more passionately than ever. Kari moaned lightly at the sudden speed and intimacy of his kiss. He had her fueling up with desire. She kissed him back just as passionately and just as needy. They finally released, the intensity still surrounding them in a heated aura. She felt im place his forehead on hers. Kari slowly opened her eyes and saw blond hair slightly covering her sight.

…Blond hair?

Kari's eyes widened. She examined the features of the face that was inches before her own. The blurs from what was happening started to become clear. Blue eyes, blond hair, _that_ killer smile…

"TK?"

(o.o) (o.o)

"Oh my God!" Kari gasped loudly, sitting up in alarm from her bed.

She looked around. She was in her room. Kari was still breathing heavily and slightly sweating as she glanced over at her window…it was daytime. The clock by her window read 7:05 AM. She blinked. _"It's morning?" _she thought in confusion, _"I don't remember falling asleep." _Kari looked down at her clothes and raised a brow. She was still in the outfit she wore yesterday when she hung out with TK. Kari suddenly felt a strong pull on her heart from the mention of his name. Her face grew warm and red. She couldn't find enough power to ease her breathing as images of a distant, vivid—very vivid—memory flashed through her mind. Kari placed both hands on her face as if to clam down, but that clearly did no justice. _"Memory?" _she thought to herself, slightly dizzy_, "N-no, it was a dream, not a memory. A dream, yeah…of course." _It then hit her of what she dreamt about. She felt herself blush madly in embarrassment. She gripped onto her head with both hands, panic overwhelming her.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my GOD," Kari breathed out, kicking off her blanket hastily, "D-did I just dream about….why was he…and did we really…coffee…waffles…and touching…? Huh?!" 

She then hopped off her bed clumsily and started pacing back and forth like a mad woman. "No, no, no, no, no, Kari, NO! Why? Okay, okay. Calm down, calm down. It was just a dream! You have no control over what you dream about! Y-yeah, see? No harm done. It was just a dream…just…a…dream."

Kari suddenly halted in her tracks, recalling that cursed dream. She slowly placed a finger on her lips. Her breathing finally started to ease down, as if her touch calmed down her nerves. Her face, however, failed to cool down once more images of the dream started to flood into her mind. The dream just felt so _real_. She could almost feel his touch and his warmth linger through her. The satisfying sensations soon came to an end the moment she remembered the face that popped out by the end of the dream. The alluring blue eyes, the soft, shiny blond hair, the killer sweet smile—yet, it was definitely _him. _It was TK.

"T…K…" Kari whispered, his name rolling off her lips. She ran her finger slowly and gently across her lips, feeling her face grow warmer than ever, "But why?"

Kari sunk back down on her bed to gather her thoughts. It was hard to think, however, with TK's face flashing occasionally in her head, interrupting the process. She laid down and glared at the ceiling. Everything she felt at this moment was just so alien to her. All types of emotions—amusement, guilt, confusion, sadness, anger, happiness, timidity, awkwardness, smitten—they were al just thrown into a melting pot in her heart and it was becoming way too much to bear. Kari let out a hug of frustration. _"Why am I so caught up in this?" _se thought annoyingly, _"It was just a dream. Just. A. Dream. It's not like you asked to dream about this…about him…" _Her heart sunk with heavy emotion, desperate for clarity, _"But…why? Why him? Why THAT? There has to be a reason." _Kari referred to the idea that dreams are made up from the subconscious mind, or built up from something, or, in this case, someone a person would think about excessively. Kari sighed, admitting to herself that she did indeed think a whole lot about TK yesterday, both when she was and wasn't with him. Actual memories of yesterday's "date" with TK filled her mind momentarily, distracting her from the dream. A small smile formed on her lips. The mall, the dresses, the frozen yogurt—it was such a simple, yet still very satisfying, date. Kari quietly laughed as she remembered his expression when he ate the yogurt she customized for him. _"His face was priceless," _Kari thought a bit too giddily. Yesterday's moments started to replay in her head, warmness overcoming her heart as it did. Suddenly, Davis's face flashed into her memory. Her smile slowly began to fade. Yesterday did not only consist of TK, but boyfriend, Davis, as well. Boyfriend. _Boyfriend_. Somehow, the word echoed loudly in hear head and uncomfortably in her heart. The past sensation of guilt stabbed right through her again like it did the day before. Every time she thought about Tk or Davis, she felt so guilty, so shady. She couldn't help but feel as if she was doing something wrong to the both of them, or hurting them in some way. She shuddered at the horrible thought of causing them pain, especially if she's unaware of it. _"But what am I doing that seems so wrong?" _Kari thought desperately, _"Why do I feel like this…like I'm the culprit?" _Whenever she thought about TK, she felt bad for Dais, as if she was wronging him. Whenever she thought about Davis, she felt bad for TK, for the same reason. She let out an annoyed and loud breath of exasperation, _"Davis and TK don't even know each other! And so what if they did? TK's just my friend! My buddy! My comrade! Not my boyfriend! Not…my boyfriend." _A new sudden feeling struck deep into her chest; an unpleasant feeling. A feeling of disappointment? Disappointment was the closest thing she could get to identify the feeling, and it obviously didn't make her feel any better. She laid to the side and held her pillow tightly against her chest, feeing ashamed. She felt ashamed as to why she felt disappointed in the first place when she has absolutely no reason to be. She shifted uncomfortably, hating how her sleep did no justice towards eliminating yesterday's unpleasant feelings. _"Davis is my boyfriend," _Kari thought sadly, _"And TK is just my friend. So why do I feel so bad? It's not like…It's not like I like TK or anyth—"_

Kari halted her thoughts. _Like_. The word lingered through her skin like poison venom. Her heart pulsed at the idea of her possibly having feelings for TK. It just felt so wrong yet so right…but still, very, very wrong. Kari clutched the pillow closer, feeling a sudden heart ache. Now it became clear. Now she knew why she felt the way she did: she had feelings for TK. There was no doubt about it. She liked the way he laughs. She liked his golden hair and sea-blue eyes. She liked the way he flashes his killer smile after revealing his shy, childish one as if to recover. She liked his surprised expression. She liked all his expressions. She liked how much of a gentleman he was. She liked the flutters she gets when he held her…touched her. She liked, no loved, the way he spoke to her, the way he complimented her with ease—she liked everything about him.

But that's the thing. She liked TK while she was Davis, her boyfriend. Kari quivered at the pain of finally realizing what she was doing wrong. She shut her eyes tight, recalling the way she acted with TK the day before. _"Was I being a bit too inappropriate? Did I…bring off the wrong idea to him?" _Kari groaned loudly in frustration, tears sharp in her eyes. _"But I don't like TK!" _Kari yelled in her mind, trying to resist the denial, _"I'm with Davis! I like Davis. I LOVE Davis! I…I love Davis…" _She then remembered the incident where she wished it had been TK to arrive at her door last night, not Davis. Kari sat up a bit shakily and rubbed her eyes. It was then she knew what she had to do.

"I can't see him," Kari whispered, "Not for today, not for a while…" She let out a sad sigh. "I have to avoid TK for now…It's for the best."

(shift)

TK sat in his car for the past ten minutes feeling completely overwhelmed with happiness, confusion, embarrassment—he didn't know quite how to feel when every emotion suddenly bombarded him in ways he was not used to. All this caused by one simple girl, by _her_. By Kari. In a span of two days tops, TK learned and encountered many things he once thought was unimaginable: 1) he met Kari, 2) he fell in love with Kari, 3) he found out she's Tai's sister, thus making him 4) in love with Tai's sister, 5) he had gone on a date with Kari, 6) he was willing—and he did—so spend a large amount of money to make her happy, 7) he was completely smitten by every little thing she did or said and finally, 8) he was a jealous man. Of all things he thought he would never be, he actually was. Jealous not just in the "boys that talk to her" sense—although that is still a huge sense—but also in a way where jealously forms whenever anyone interferes or interacts with her. He was nearing borderline obsessed! TK reddened at that, finding the idea of being obsessed with her all too embarrassing. He barely knew the girl! He had just met her two days ago and he already claims to be in love with her, while also being wiling to commit himself to making her happy. Is that even possible? TK shook his head, confused, _"Maybe this is all just a spur of a moment thing…that I got too ahead of myself…I mean, In LOVE? I don't know much about her and I'm in love? You're crazy, TK. She's just another girl." _He stopped his thoughts, immediately feeling guilty for what he as thinking. A dark churn occurred at the pit of his stomach when he thought of how things may have been if he never met her. He leaned his head against his car window and sighed deeply before engaging into much deeper thought, _"No…she isn't just another girl. She's different. She's genuine. She's headstrong. She's undeniably beautiful. She's full of life. She's…Kari." _TK softly chuckled at the fact that he had just used her name as t's own adjective—she was just that special. He had encountered many girls in the past, some being ex-girlfriends, while some being girls with girlfriend potential but none never appealed to him in the way Kari has. There was just something about her. He didn't know quite what it was, but there was no way in hell he was going to give up on finding it out. With an enticingly encouraged grin, he sat up straight and firmly grasped onto his steering wheel.

"OK, it's settled," TK decided as he backed out of his garage and into the streets, "I'm in love with Kari. Done deal."

He glanced at the time as he drove. _"The dresses should be ready for pick-up now." _Memories of yesterday's date started to then flood his mind, and a blush couldn't help but form on his cheeks as they did. Somehow, a stronger sense of realization of what he actually did yesterday finally came to him. His blush deepened in harsh embarrassment as the looks on Kari's face once he paid for both the dresses and yogurt popped up in his mind. She looked completely dumbfounded and, if he wasn't mistaking, annoyed. Annoyed? TK groaned, _"Ugh, she must think I'm so weird. Buying all that for her when we've just met, she might think…but then again, I was just doing what any gentleman would do. I was being polite!" _His face fell, _"But was it too much? Did I go too overboard? I was practically clinging onto her for Pete's sake!" _His face grew warmer at the memory of their linked arms. TK pouted slightly. _"Well, she was the one who clinged onto me first, so it's not like…do girls usually…I still should have…dammit." _ TK pulled into the mall paring lot and luckily found a parking spot closest to the entrance. Once parked, he removed his seatbelt and stumped into his seat. He sighed. Suddenly he felt ashamed at his actions. Never did he want to come off as desperate, especially to her, but now he felt that is exactly what he has done. He was desperate to please her, desperate to make her happy, desperate to have her notice him, desperate to see her, desperate for…her. Claiming to be in love, and what more desperate, with a girl he just met seemed all too unreal. Unreal to seem possible, but also unreal to be just a phase. Nonetheless, real or not, there was no doubt in his mind that he came off as desperate. Shame hit him once again, thoroughly convinced that he took it a step too far.

"You're so embarrassing," TK groaned, his thoughts loud and clear, "Maybe I should just give the dresses to Tai…"

Something strange pulled at his heart the moment he let out that suggestion. Disappointment, maybe? All he could get out of it was the regret of even saying that. He just didn't want to give up any chances he may get to see Kari. TK pouted and got out of his car.

"You're such a child," TK grumbled to himself.

A quick twenty minutes later, he was out of the mall with a box of dresses in his hand. He twitched. He never thought dresses could be so heavy. It was either that or he just hasn't been working out much lately. He couldn't decide which was more embarrassing. Upon approaching his car, he heard a distinct voice yell form behind him.

"Hey!"

TK turned around a noticed a purple-haired girl quickly make her way towards him. He blinked, thinking she looked awfully familiar. It was only until she finally reached him when he realized who she was. She put her hands on her hips and let out a long, exasperated breath.

"I've been trying to catch you!" she exclaimed in slight annoyance as she faned herself, "You walk way too fast for a guy carrying a box!"

"Uh…" TK started as he shifted the box, not really knowing what to say, "I'm sorry about that."

"You left your keys," she said, digging through her purse and flashing an item that looked an awful like his car keys, "I saw you drop it when you were at the store. I thought you picked it up, but when I looked again, it was still on the ground and you were already out the door! So of course I had to be the hero and return it to you while I still had the chance."

TK stared at her confusingly. Managing the box with one arm, he used his free hand to tap his pockets. His keys were missing! He glanced at the keys she was holding up, and indeed it was his. TK carefully put the box down and the moment he straightened up, the girl threw the keys towards him. He caught it easily, stared at it and stared back at her. Relief hit him.

"Wow, thank you so much," TK exclaimed gratefully, "I would have been stranded. Sorry for the trouble!"

"No trouble at all," she grinned, her past annoyance escaping, "I always treat others the way I want to be treated. Besides, it would suck to have to run around and look for your keys while carrying that box. What's in that box anyways? You're not really the guy I would see shopping there."

TK blushed, obviously not wanting to answer that question. Hell, he wouldn't even know how to answer that question. To answer that he was picking up _dresses_ that he _bought_ for a _girl _that he's _in love with _but isn't even his _girlfriend _seemed a tad bit…much. Luckily the girl spoke up again, saving him from further embarrassment.

"Say, aren't you that guy that came by to help at A Whole Latte Love a few days ago?" she asked, raising her brows at him. Her eyes then lit up like a light bulb, "Oh! Twin! Mini-Matt!"

He twitched. So much for saving himself from embarrassment. _"Mini-Matt?" _he repeated annoyingly in his had like it was a dirty word. They both had blue eyes and blond hair, sure, but implying they were identical was deniable. Being compared to Matt was not really something he was used to, but now he was certain that it was something he did not like. TK just let out an awkward chuckle.

"Yeah," he replied, then took a moment before speaking again, "You look really familiar actually. I think I saw you there too?"

"Yep, name's Yolei! I came in late when you were all googly eyes with Kari," she snickered, "Which I'm totally grateful for, because you totally distracted her from getting mad at me!"

"Is it that obvious?" TK said loudly in exasperation, but turned red hot in embarrassment when he realized what he said.

Yolei's eyes widened a bit in shock from the sudden outburst of his unintended confession, but it was soon replaced with a mischievous grin. TK mentally slapped himself, knowing that he had messed up and that he had to pace himself for what Yolei was going to say to him. However, he spoke first, hoping it would sway away from the topic.

"Takeru," he said, clearing his throat, "Name's Takeru. TK for short, and what I usually go by."

"TK?" she repeated with a grin, looking like she was about to burst, "As in… 'T'akeru and 'K'ari? Did I get that right?"

"No!" TK said almost immediately, flushing, "TK as in TK."

"You like her, don't you?"

She was like a bullet—going right for the kill! Yolei was like this miracle but with a catch, where the miracle was the keys and the catch was that he must confess his uncertain love of a girl who just so happens to be her co-worker! There was no way he was just going to blow her off by just driving away without giving her an answer. He just wasn't that kind of guy. Taking a deep breath, he figured that beating around the bush was his only salvation at this point.

"Well, yeah, I do. I mean, she's nice…cool. Likeable. Great person. Cool. Easy to be around. Down-to-Earth. You know, nice and—"

"Okay ,you can stop with the 'who can name more traits' game, Yolei laughed, interrupting him, "You don't need to sugar coat anything. I already know. I just wanted to hear you ay it. So to answer your question earlier: yeah. It's pretty obvious."

TK opened his mount to counter that, but quickly closed it knowing that he had nothing to say to support his case. He bit his tongue. He realized that he did go a little overboard with his answer. _"A simple 'yeah' would of worked," _TK thought, mentally rolling his eyes at himself. TK sighed, put a hand on his hip and ran his other hand through his hair in slight frustration. He looked at Yolei with desperate eyes.

"Do you think she knows?" TK asked nervously, obviously referring to Kri, "Since apparently, it's obvious?"

"Oh God, no!" Yolei spat out in an encouraging laugh to put him at ease, "Kari's common sense sometimes is…God forgive me, I love her, but she's as slow-minded as a turtle that's fallen on its back during the race. By the time she's up, it's too late. So take it easy on her if you want to tell her jokes." She rolled her eyes.

TK fought the urge to let out a chuckle, but he still looked a bit worried. Yolei sighed, obviously feeling his worry rub off on her. She gave him a reassuring smile.

"Listen, Kari is slow, but whether she knows or not, she'll never belittle you or anything. Looking down on someone or making fun of others is something she will never do. In fact, it's what she hates the most. She lectures me all the time about it, actually," Yolei laughed as her face lightened up, seeming to find joy in talking about her friend, "I love her. She's a slow-minded dorky clutz, but I love her. She has a good heart. It's a shame she doesn't realize that."

TK blinked in both awe and disbelief of what he was hearing. Kari always seemed like a very positive, out-spoken person to him. A very spunky girl who stands her ground, to say the least. The possibility of Kari being an insecure one was a bit hard to believe. But then again—his face fell at this thought—he doesn't even know her.

"She doesn't?" TK asked softly, eager to know more.

"Nope. She has pretty much been a Negative Nancy about herself all her life. She's optimistic about everything except herself. I wish I knew why. She's cute, loved by many and she has her own business at such a young age for crying out loud! She's…perfect."

Yolei's voice trailed down along with her smile. She looked sad. TK sensed a strange, almost pitiful, vibe from the way she looked. She seemed…jealous? Before TK could get a clearer idea, she spoke up, traces of sadness disappearing.

"Shucks, here I am talking about how Kari lectures me, and I'm about to be late," she said, straightening up herself, "Where are you heading?"

"Ah…er," TK was once again put under the uncomfortable spotlight, "I just have to drop this box off."

"Oh, I see. Where?"

"_Damnit," _TK thought. There was no way e was going to escape the question. Might as well go in for the kill. He tried his best to look relaxed, "To the café. I actually promised Kari I would pick up the dresses or uniforms she ordered yesterday and bring them to her today."

Yolei stared at him in surprise, and soon another huge grin appeared on her face. He paced himself. "So, are you like my new co-worker that Kari forgot to tell me about or is this all from the kindness of your heart?"

TK paused for a bit, trying to pick up what she was saying, "Uh…the second one."

"Well, aren't you just the sweetest thing! Picking up our new uniforms and what not," Yolei gleamed happily, eyes filled with hope, "Maybe you could be the one to finally take her away from—"

Suddenly, Yolei's phone rang. Annoyingly, she dug for her phone through her purse, saw who called, sighed and answered, "Hello? Ah, okay. I'll meet you by the entrance." Yolei hung up and gave TK a smile, "Well, my ride will be here in a few minutes. I have to be at the café real soon to clock in, otherwise Kari will have my head. I'll see you around, then! Maybe there?"

"Yeah, I'll drop by in a bit," TK smiled, "Thanks again for my keys."

"No problem! It was nice meeting you, TK."

Yolei spun around and started to walk away. TK let out a breath of relief, finally feeling at ease. Speaking with her was so nerve-wrecking. He even confessed to her that she liked Kari. His eyes widened. He just told her he likes Kari! Panic quickly swept through his system before he even realized he called out her name.

"Yolei!"

She turned, luckily not being too far away to have a conversation, "Yes?"

"Um, well," TK started uneasily, feeling a bit embarrassed of how childish he was about to sound, "What I just told you…"

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me," Yolei winked, already knowing what he wanted to ask.

With just that, Yolei turned back around and walked away. TK unlocked his car and loaded the box into the trunk. Once he settled himself into the car, he laned back into his seat to think over everything that just happened. _"Kari's insecure?" _he thought in confusion, _"I never would have guessed." _He frowned, saddened at the idea of Kari, an amazing girl, putting herself down. The way Yolei described her revealed that she had no reason to. A smile then formed upon his lips, recalling all the nice things Yolei said about her. While the idea of Kari being slow minded was humorous, it was still cute. TK laughed at the memories of Kari spacing out yesterday on their date, and at her new nickname he gave her: space cadet. He sighed. Yesterday already seemed so long ago. He missed her. Something then hit him—the text he sent her last night! He had forgotten about the message he sent her, thus not knowing if she responded. After he sent it, he recalled, he immediately turned off his phone like a coward because he was too nervous for her response. Panic hit him like a slap to the face. It was already the next day and he still hasn't checked! _"Crap!" _TK thought, annoyed at himself as he took his phone out of his pocket and turned it on, _"What if she already responded? What if she responded right after I sent the message? What if…oh." _TK stared at his phone and realized that there were no new notifications or indications of any new text message. He scrolled through his text inbox, pressed on Kari's name and there was indeed no response from her in the conversation. Just his message that he sent to her that contained their first photo together and him saying he missed her. He looked at the photo and smiled warmly, all traces of past panic gone. She was just so adorable. Not just her looks, but her attitude as well. It even shown through her smile in the photo. It was then he realized how much more she meant to him and how much he really did miss her. Her not responding did not chance the fact that he missed her, nor will it discourage him from seeing her. In fact, he was even more certain about going to see her than he was before There was no time to overthink anymore. He loves her. Simple as that. TK started up the car and started to drive. Time to go visit the girl he loves.

(shift)

Business was slow today, much to her disadvantage. Kari sighed, still not being able to get her crazy dream out of her head. She blushed. It just felt so incredibly real. His warm embrace, the way his breath tickled her skin, his overpowering passionate kiss—everything in that cursed dream felt so real besides the fact that it was with Tk. Her blush deepened. TK, of all people! She was better off having that dream kissing a complete stranger. That way she wouldn't have to feel so guilty. The fact that she dreamt of kissing a guy that she knew and that wasn't her significant other was what brought her guiltiness level to a maximum, no matter how many times she told herself it was just a dream. She always believed that the reason people dream of others is because they think too much of them throughout the day or before bed. And she was definitely guilty about that. She began to reminiscence about her day with TK yesterday, especially the moment when he dropped her off. His kind words lingered through her ears and the memory of his embrace made her melt. Perhaps that was why his hug felt so real in the dream…because she felt it before. But that doesn't explain the kiss. Her face grew warmer every time she thought the kiss they "shared". Kari put her hands on her face as if to ease the heat from her cheeks and let out a slightly shaky sigh. _Kiss. _The idea of even getting that intimate with TK in reality was so…Kari shook her head to remove the thought, feeling embarrassed, bothered and awfully shy. Her face was red hot at this point. If Davis were to ever find out…Kari paused, suddenly annoyed. She frowned, finding it hard to believe that Davis never dreamt of other girls before. He probably had his fair share of dreaming of other girls, considering how much they fight because of them. The thought saddened her deeply. First the guilt of dreaming of TK, now there was the pain of her boyfriend possibly dreaming of other girls. There was just too much to cope with, it was becoming too overwhelming. Abruptly, the chime from the door played, finally causing interruption to Kari's thoughts. She looked up in relief to finally deal with a customer, but her face fell when she noticed it was Yolei. Kari crossed her arms.

"You're late," Kari exclaimed, exasperated, "Again!"

"I'm sorry! Really, really, sorry!" Yolei replied with a voce begging for forgiveness,  
>"I just got side tracked on the way back from the mall. But I got the applications, like you asked! Turns out I was also late with meting up with them, but that's a whole different story. I'll tell you about them later after work."<p>

Kari took the applications, remembering she had posted job applications for the café in the bulletin board by the café a few weeks prior to the opening. Some girls notified her about them, so she sent Yolei to meet up and interview them. Kari looked up from the application and back at Yolei.

"Side tracked?" Kari asked, a bit dumbfounded as she opened the drawer to put in the applications, "How?"

"How?" Yolei repeated stupidly, trying to remember, "Oh! Because I ran into…ugh, what was his name again…TK! Matt's brother."

Kari froze, applications midway into the drawer. The sound of his name hit her like a spark, her heart pounding heavy at the process. She felt Yolei's stare, causing her to snap back to her senses. Kari closed the drawer and gave Yolei a slightly confused look while trying to maintain her composure. Much to her dismay, it looked as if Yolei's suspicion was growing. A suspicious Yolei was never a good thing. Kari stood her ground.

"Really?" Kari asked, her voice a bit high pitched, "At the mall?"

"Yeah, poor guy dropped his keys at the store, so I picked it up and gave it back to him just in time. You can't punish me for being a good civilian!" Yolei winked, "It even turns out that we were heading the same direction."

Kari raised a brow, "What do you mean?"

"He was at the mall because he picked up your dresses. Such a nice guy. He told me he was heading over later today to drop them off. Should be on his way."

"W-What!?" Kari yelped, face returning back to it's former red, "He's on the way?"

It was Yolei's turn to raise a brow, "Yeah, why?"

"How long ago did you see him?" Kari asked quickly, panic rising.

"Um," Yolei glanced at her watch, "Around 30 minutes ago, give or take."

Kari's eyes widened. _"That's more than enough time for him to get here from the mall!" _Her heart started racing. She was nowhere near ready to see him right now, especially after her racy dream. Snippets of her dream started to cloud up in her mind again, flustering her. _"Damnit, no!" _she thought, face heating up, _"Now's not the time to think about that!" _She looked frantically at the clock, then at Yole, who was giving her the stupidest of looks, then around the face, and then—she gasped—out the window where she saw TK's car drive and park along the sidewalk just across the street. Yolei spoke up.

"What's with you?" Yolei asked, with a tone crossed between worried and humored, "Why do you seem so panicky?"

"Yolei can you cover for me?" Kari pleaded, ignoring her question, "Please? T-take over the register for now, or until he leaves. Or distract him, please? Tell him I just stepped out for a bit or something—"

"Whoa, relax sis!" Yolei said, now fully worried, "Why are you avoiding him?"

"I'll explain everything later," Kari rushed as she stared at the kitchen, now intending to leave from the back, "Thanks, Yolei!"

Kari turned around and entered the kitchen, Yolei's suspicious stare following her. However, the moment she entered the kitchen, the front door of the café sang its chime. It had to be him entering. Her heart pulsed again. She was about to make her leave through the back door until she heard Yolei chirp his name. She quickly moved to the side of the beaded "door", not wanting to be seen.

"Yo, TK!" she heard Yolei say, "Fancy seeing you here."

Kari heard TK laugh and respond, 'Yeah, I haven't seen you in years."

Kari pouted in slight jealousy of the jokes they were sharing, but she kept listening.

"Right?" Yolei laughed back, joining in on his humor, "What can I get you?"

"Actually, I was wondering if Kari is available?" Kari's heart fluttered at the sound of his voice saying her name.

"Getting straight to the point, I see!" Yolei replied with a short laugh, "Actually, she wasn't here when I clocked in. She texted me a while back saying she was going to get a quick lunch, but I haven't heard from her since then."

"I see. Do you think she'll be back soon?"

"Should be. She never really leaves the café for too long."

Kari tried harder to listen, but their conversation became indistinctive as one of the blenders went on by one of the bakers that she didn't know was in the kitchen. Her baker stared at her funny. Kari gave an apologetic look, followed by an embarrassed laugh, _"Well, there's no point of staying in here," _Kari thought, making her way towards the kitchen's exit that led to the garden patio, otherwise known as the outdoor seating. _"I wonder if he left…" _Kari stopped in her tracks, as her hand gripped onto the doorknob. Guilt hit her again, but this time, it was because she was avoiding TK when he did nothing wrong and when he went through all the trouble to do her a favor. She was a coward. She couldn't even face a really good friend to show her gratitude, all because of a dream that she had no power over. Kari sighed, disappointed in herself. She had to see him to thank him; it was only the right thing to do. _"But," _she thought, nervousness kicking in, _"Maybe later…" _She was till not in the right place to face him, at least not now, especially since she 'went for lunch', according to Yolei. Kari finally opened the door and stepped out. She was heart warmed at the sight of all her customers that were seated outside happy and enjoying the cafe's treats. A genuine smile came onto her face after the longest time. It was relieving to feel. The simple joys her café gave her always seems to give her that ounce of hope she needed to push through the day. _"A whole latte love," _Kari thought happily. Her genuine smile and happy thoughts soon came to a halt once she saw that Yolei was outside…seating TK in the patio! Her face paled, nervousness of him seeing her sinking in. _"Why would she seat him?!" _Kari thought, freaking out. Despite not knowing whether TK was going to stay or not, Yolei should have at least known to distract him away from the place. Yolei sat him a couple feet away from where Kari stood, with his back to her. Once TK sat and was given a menu, Yolei straightened up and almost immediately caught Kari's cold stare. Yolei just responded with a mischievous grin as she skipped blissfully towards her. Once Yolei got to her, Kari quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her back a few steps, away from the customer's hearing zone. Yolei gave Kari a forced innocent look. Kari just glared.

"What are you doing? I told you to distract him!"

"What was I supposed to do?" Yolei spat with a pout, "He asked if he could stay for awhile and that he was hungry. So I offered him to stay and try our menu, since I didn't want to just kick him out. I'm just doing my job. Plus, I don't like engaging in plans that I know nothing about," she then snickered at Kari, "In my defense, I didn't think you'd be so obviously and choose to hide outside of all places. That's why I decided to sit him here."

Kari opened her mouth to defend herself, but Yolei spoke up in a more serious tone, "What's really going on, Kari? I hate not knowing things, you know that! Why are you avoiding him? Did you do something wrong to you?"

"No, he didn't!" Kari said instantly, not wanting Yolei to assume that she was mad at TK, "It's just hard to explain…"

"You better spill the bean now, Kamiya," Yolei declared with a glare, hungry for information, "Or else I will ask him myself!"

Kari's eyes widened. Yolei was becoming merciless. Kari knew that Yolei means business when she calls her by her last name. She understood that it was all out of Yolei's best interest for her, but Yolei just has crazy ways of showing it sometimes. The thought of Yolei even confronting TK about her scared her. She heard Yolei let out an exaggerated, yet very annoyed, whine.

"I can't believe you, my bestest friend in the whole wide world for the past ten plus years, would keep a secret from me!" Yolei said rather loudly, causing Kari to panic that people, especially TK, might hear, "I tell you everything, Kari. I take care of you. I help you. I saved your fish from drowning…!"

"I had a dream that I kissed him, okay?" Kari finally gushed out in a harsh, embarrassed whisper, needing Yolei to quiet down, "I don't know why, but I did, and it felt too real so I don't know how to face him right now!"

Yolei looked at her with big, surprised eyes. Kari's answer was obviously not what she expected. Yolei's shocked expression was soon turning into a huge ear-to-ear smile. She looked like she was going to burst out of excitement. Kari's panic level began to rise again; maybe telling Yolei in broad daylight with witnesses was not the brightest thing to do. She winced. Yolei then—Kari saw this coming—burst.

"You like him?!"

Kari's response was just as immediate as the intense blush forming on her face, "No!"

Kari quickly covered her mouth, not realizing how loud she was. Yolei looked startled as did her customers, whose eyes were now all on her….even TK's. His and her eyes finally locked, sending shivers down her spine. Kari once again froze, not knowing what to say or do. She was starting to get more nervous than she was before. Her red face could be seen from miles away. She's never felt so embarrassed. Their eyes remained locked for what seemed like forever until one of them decided to literally make a move. She pulsed on the spot—TK stood up from his seat, eyes still on her. _"Oh my God," _thought Kari in alarm, _"He's coming this way! What do I do? What do I ay? Where do I—" _Before she knew it, she interrupted her own thoughts by running away, heading left, from the scene. Running away! From all things she could of done better, she ran. She didn't even know where she was running. Eventually she found herself out of the dining patio and at the side of her café. Then the worst had to happen—Kari ended up tripping over a tree branch, that just so happened to be on the ground on all possible days, and landing awkwardly on the ground on her back. Kari twitched in annoyance. _"Karma," _she thought, completely convinced that her tripping was bound to happen, _"Must be, you coward." _She firmly believed that nothing more embarrassing could happen to her. She believed wrong. Seconds after her blatant thoughts, she saw a hand extended out to her and an extremely worried face looking down at her. The face was slightly blinded by the sunlight. It was a gorgeous face. Kari squinted to get a clear look at who it was, and as if on cue, she blushed crimson. Of course it had to be TK.

"Are you okay?" he asked, intense worry showing through his voice as much as it was his face.

Kari just stared. TK was bent down by her, letting out a helping hand. The situation that she wanted to avoid ended up happening. Kari numbly grabbed his hand and sat up awkwardly in front of him. TK continued to stare at her, and she just kept staring back at his face. Kari blushed. His face. His eyes. His hair. His _lips_. Her heart started thudding rapidly against her chest. Dear god, his lips. He was too gorgeous for his own good. She eyed to the side, too embarrassed to face him. TK squeezed her hand softly, causing her to look up. Their eyes met again and her hearted raced frantically against her chest the moment they did. The feeling of his hand gently holding hers set the butterflies on a rampage. His touch was so warm, so soft…just like it was in the dream. The dream! She had almost forgot. She cursed herself as memories of the dream flooded back into her mind like a replay, and this time, being in TK's presence, she couldn't stop it. The hug, the touches, and the kiss all came at once, overwhelming her. It legitimately gave her unpleasant anxiety. His deep stare made the matter worse. She started feeling heat from her face travel all over her body, making her uncomfortably warm. His touch was like fire. Kari's eyes were still fixed on his deep blue ones. His gaze was like the cooling factor of the extreme warmth, sending shivers throughout her body, especially to her heart. Kari opened her mouth to speak, but embarrassment and shyness overcame her. She found no words. She couldn't help but notice how much more worried he was getting just staring at her. She must look like a mess. He released his hand and used it to then softly feel her forehead.

"Kari, are you okay?" he asked again, voice filled with concern, "You're burning up…"

Kari nearly melted at his touch, "Y-yeah, I'm okay. It's just a bit hot today. And clumsy me just so happened to trip, haha…ha," her pathetic laugh soon trailed off to a sigh, "I don't know what I came over me. Thanks for helping me up."

"No problem," TK replied, rather slowly, confusion in his voice replacing the worry, "You shouldn't have ran then, you know, in the heat…"

TK began to sound a bit shy, much to her surprise. His eyes strayed away from hers, making her worry. TK sat down, obviously uncomfortably squatting, and rubbed his neck timidly before speaking again, "Kari, did I…is there anything that I may have…why did you…?" TK then took a deep breath, as if finally finding the courage to say what he wanted to say, "Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry if I've done anything to make you avoid me or—"

"Oh my gosh, no!" Kari interrupted instantly, not wanting him to have such a horrible assumption, "That was never the case!"

TK still looked a bit discouraged, which pained her because he had every right to be. She was lying, but there was no way that Kari was going to tell him about the dream. Not now, not ever. To her shame, she continued to dig herself deeper into her pitiful hole, "I swear. Please don't think that way. I ran because I saw a girl from high school that I wasn't really close to, and Yolei started to tease me about it, I freaked out and it just so happened to catch everyone's attention, especially the girl's. I got nervous about confrontation so I ran like a coward."

Kari huffed, again not realizing how fast she was speaking—must be out of nervousness. She felt a bit more at ease, since what she said was at least partially the truth. TK's gaze one again met hers, and this time, he looked much more convinced and relieved, also to Kari's surprise. To add to her surprise, TK let out a soft laugh.

"I'm glad," TK said shyly, though revealing his gorgeous smile, making her heart flutter once again, "That you're not upset with me. I got scared."

"As you should be," Kari joked with a sincere laugh, trying her hardest to redeem herself.

"You're right. Sorry Madam," TK laughed along, relieving her, "But I can't believe that's why you ran! So what if she saw you? She's the one literally sitting in your huge success."

She blushed. She always gets a bit shy and awkward whenever complimented. Kari fidgeted with her fingers, feeling a bit bashful. "I wouldn't call it huge…"

"Are you kidding me?" TK said in shocked humor, "You created and own a café for Pete's sake. Granted, it is a bit too cheesy for my liking, but still. It's an amazing achievement at your age."

Kari felt troubled. She did not like hearing about her "success" of opening the café. She felt cheated; that she needed to do more to declare it officially hers. After all, she didn't really…Kari shook her head, removing that person issue from her mind. That was another issue she did not want to deal with, or think about, right now. She let out an awkward laugh.

"Oh stop. I'm really not that great," she said quietly.

"You know, for a girl who takes great pride in those crazy drinks she makes, you seem to be a little too hard on yourself," he smirked.

"Because those 'crazy' drinks are something to be very proud of!" Kari said back with a pout.

"Crazy is right," TK teased, trying to hold back a laugh.

"You're the crazy one!" Kari whined playfully.

She aimed to punch him on his arm, but he caught her hand by the wrist before it got too close to him. He gave her an "I beat you" grin. He loosened his hand, however, most likely because he noticed that he accidentally gripped on her wrist that wore her bracelet.

"Ah, sor….ry…"

Kari stared at him funny, wondering why his voice trailed off. He was looking at her bracelet, his hand still mid-air with hers. She raised a brow. He looked so focused on it, examining it the way he was. Kari then looked at the bracelet and immediately her heart dropped. She had forgotten about the bracelet Davis put on her yesterday. She didn't really seem to notice that she still had it on until TK unintentionally pointed it out. Another sense of great guilt hit her once again, but this time, she couldn't quite understand why exactly. It was a new sense of guilt. It seemed foolish to feel guilty over a guy she kissed in her dreams seeing the bracelet her real life boyfriend got her. It was almost like she was being…_"Unfaithful?" _Kari thought in huge disbelief, _"Unfaithful to who? Davis? TK's just my friend! So what if he sees this…" _Suddenly t just wasn't guiltiness she was feeling. Her past feelings of immense nervousness started to creep into her. The longer he stared at it, the more troubled she felt. She wanted him to stop looking at it. Finally it hit her—she didn't want TK to know what it was, or whom it was from. THAT was where all the uneasy feelings of unfaithfulness and guilt came from. It was then Kari knew:

She didn't want TK to know about Davis.

Kari has never felt so shallow, so disgusted with herself. If that was truly the case, then she believed she had every right to feel that way about herself. Never once did she feel the need to hide her relationship with Davis from someone, especially from a guy who is practically still a stranger to her. The worst part is that she has absolutely no clue as to why she feels that way. She doesn't know why. She doesn't understand anything. _"TK's just my friend," _Kari thought, desperate for closure, _"So why do I keep feeling like this…ever since we met…" _To keep a peace of mind, she recalled that Davis and TK probably haven't met, or even know each other for that matter. She examined his facial features a bit more. _"But why does he keep staring at it…?" _TK caught her stare before she could finish his thoughts, startling her. He looked a bit distressed.

"Where did you—"

"Kari!" a voice chimed in, cutting TK off.

Both heads turned towards the direction of the voice, and realized that Yolei was quickly making her way to them. TK slowly released Kari's wrist, causing Kari's arm to fall weakly back to the side. Both TK and Kari stood up from the ground, avoiding glances. Kari felt light-headed. She knew what TK was going to ask, and much more to her disappointment, she wouldn't have known how to answer it. It was a relief that Yolei came into the picture, preventing her from answering it. Kari eyed TK from the side and he looked way too deep in thought. Confused, even. It worried her greatly. She desperately wanted to know what he was thinking, but Yolei finally approached them before she got the chance to give it further thought.

"Kari, I need you back in front, pronto!" Yolei panted, "There's a huge line forming, so you should open the second register. I can't do this alone! I'm already having anxiety. A girl is trying to use an expired coupon and do we even have coupons?! We just opened! And—"

"Okay, okay, I'll go," Kari replied, needed Yolei to calm down. She gave TK an apologetic smile, 'I'm sorry; I have to get back to work. Thank you so much for picking up the dresses. And again, for buying them. This really means a lot to me, so thank you so much."

"Ah, you're welcome," TK responded as he cleared his throat, looking as if he snapped back into reality, "Anytime, Kari. I'm glad I could help. Good luck with work."

Kari's heart hurt. His voice was so small, so strange. It was as if it was tainted with hurt. _"What did I do?" _Kari thought, extremely confused and worried at TK's sudden mood change. With nothing else more to say, Yolei pulled Kari away and they made their way back into the café.

(shift)

There was no doubt in his mind that he recognized that bracelet. He knew he saw that before. In fact, he remembers when and were exactly he first laid eyes on that damn bracelet. What he remembers most, however, was the guy that showed him it. It was the same guy that dropped his phone when he bumped into him. It was the same guy that walked into the café right after. It was the same guy that made Matt act strange at the mention of his name. It was the same guy he reencountered at the restroom at the mall. It was the same guy he had uneasy feelings about the moment he met him. It was _him. _

It was Davis.

TK pulled into the garage of his apartment building and parked. All the horrible-feeling assumptions he was making about Kari started to cloud up in his mind, and he did not want to believe any single one of them. At least, not without any legitimate proof to tell him otherwise. TK locked the car, closed the garage and walked towards his apartment. If the possibility of Kari knowing Davis was correct, then Tai should know Davis. If Tai knows Davis, it was safe to assume that so does his brother, considering Tai and Matt share the majority of the same friends. And his brother was the closest source of information that he has. Despite his eagerness to know, TK started to feel nervous…nervous that his worst possible assumption may be true. With a heavy heart and mind, TK opened the door and immediately saw Matt, who seemed to be making his way to the kitchen. Matt stopped in his tracks the moment he saw his little brother. He smiled, ready to greet him, but TK went in for the kill. There was no time for small talk.

"Who's Davis?"

**TBC**

**Phew! 20 pages of pure drama! Kari's becoming a bit of a difficult character, no? Her innocence and inexperience could only go so far. Which means…trouble is stirring! And I can guarantee more drama is to be seen in the future! More (very unexpected) secrets will become revealed, feelings will get hurt, and confessions will be told – oh the suspense! So please stick around, I promise there is much more to look forward to! It is not as cliché as it seems to be.**

**Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! I want to thank those who stuck around with my story, despite my delays with updates. I've already constructed the first part for the next chapter, so I am anticipating on publishing that soon. Thank you so much for your time and kind reviews. Please continue to read and review, it will mean a whole bunch! Reviews keep me hyped! **

**R&R! Much love xox**


	7. Beers and Chocolate Bars

**Readers! Hello and Happy Holidays! Thank you for all your reviews and patience with this story and me. It is no exaggeration when I say that your reviews keep me all the more motivated to continue. I told you all that I would continue this, despite the long updates! With long updates come long chapters, so I hope you all enjoy Chapter 7! You're in for a ride on this one. Again, thank you for all the support. Enjoy! **

**A Whole Latte Love**

By iJutsu

**Chapter 7**

TK stared at his brother intensively, eyes burning with strong curiosity, anger and fear. He knew himself that he wasn't ready for the answer, but he had to know. There was no way he was going to leave without the answers he seeks for now. Matt stared back at him in complete shock—as if he got caught red-handed stealing out of the cookie jar. His expression then softened into a much more subdued one, looking much more aware of the seriousness behind TK's question. Matt sighed and leaned on his side against the wall.

"Davis is Kari's boyfriend," Matt responded just as abruptly as when TK asked his question.

_Boyfriend. _Somehow that word echoed uncomfortably in his head like a distant siren. He saw this coming. That answer was already what he assumed before he even asked. But actually hearing it as a legitimate proof to validate his assumption was devastating. TK felt a disgusting feeling at the pit of his stomach. The closure he desired from finding out the truth did not suffice the way he had hoped. In fact, it was far from satisfying. The truth wasn't sinking in and it was then TK realized that it was because he did not want to believe it.

Matt sighed again, "Look, man. I—"

"Boyfriend?" TK spat out in exasperation, interrupting Matt, "Why didn't you tell me?"

The guilt on Matt's face grew more obvious, "I just didn't want to crush your spirits. You seemed so happy. I'm sorry…"

TK let out an annoyed, sarcastic laugh. "Oh, so you thought that you knowing that the girl I fell in love with has a boyfriend and not telling me about it isn't going to crush m spirits at all? Are you serious?"

"I'm sorry, TK. I just really didn't know how to tell you," Matt sounded defeated.

"This is ridiculous," TK breathed out, temper rising, "Do you even know how much of a fool I feel like right now? You should have told me once I told you I loved her in the first place so I could've just stayed away and avoided all of this!"

"I doubt you would've stayed away anyways!" Matt shot back in his defense, just as annoyed, "You claimed you already loved her so knowing about Davis wasn't going to change anything!"

TK's temper grew once he realized that Matt's annoyed expression wouldn't leave. TK looked at him stupidly—he was supposed to be the annoyed one here!

"So _that_ was your reason for not telling me? So that I could just continue chasing after a taken girl like an idiot? Matt, c'mon!"

TK's voice started to rise, and he knew that was just going to trigger Matt's anger as well, considering being yelled at was one of Matt's biggest pet peeves. It just triggers an angrier Matt who just ends up saying things ruthlessly and without consideration. But there was no turning back now. Matt glared icily.

"Dude, you're overreacting. Are you really even in _love _with her? It's been like, what, less than a week since you've met her? It's probably just a phase. Get over it."

That pushed TK's buttons. His patience and temper control was long gone. "Don't you dare tell me that this is just a phase! You don't know how I felt these past few days I spent with her. She made me feel so…so special and happy in ways you could never understand and now it's just gone."

TK let out a deep breath and finished sadly as he felt his last sense of dignity slip away, "All gone."

Silence overcame the two brothers; both of them not having enough will power to speak up. TK leaned back against the door behind him and closed his eyes, as if trying to ease a headache. Matt couldn't help but stare. His previous flames were at last dying down, and the realization and guilt of what he said finally got to him. Matt walked up to his little brother and put a hand on his shoulder. TK opened his eyes and stared at Matt questionably and dully. Matt sighed apologetically.

"I'm sorry. That was out of line," Matt started, releasing his hand, "You know how I get. I'm sorry for not telling you, bro. I really am. It's not the easiest thing for me to do, seeing how much in love you were…"

"That's why you should have told me right away," TK then mumbled, feeling almost, if not fully, embarrassed, "When I wasn't in too deep yet."

"You're right, I'm sorry," Matt apologized again, then leaned on the wall beside him, "I was just hoping you could've gotten her to like you back before you found out about Davis, to be honest."

TK then turned his head towards Matt and looked at him in great confusion, "What are you talking about?"

The home phone then began to ring, disturbing their conversation. Matt gave his brother a sad smile and one last pat on his shoulder.

"Must be the landlord. The rent is due soon."

With just that, Matt drew back his hand and entered the kitchen where the phone rang. Matt's smile just then made TK ponder. It was a smile full of everything but happiness. It was a smile full of pity—pity for him. _"What does he mean? Hoped that Kari would like me before I found out about Davis?" _TK thought. By Matt's last smile, it surely wasn't anything good. Deciding to set that issue aside for the sake of having one less thing to stress over, he walked into his room and sat down on his bed in complete exhaustion. He has never felt so emotionally drained, and the day was not even half way over yet. He couldn't recall the last time he was ever this stressed over a girl; perhaps because this was the first time. TK groaned loudly, overwhelmed with all these alien feelings. Boyfriend. A boyfriend! Kari, the girl of his dreams, has a boyfriend. Kari, the girl he's been trying to impress and shamelessly sweep off her feet, was taken. _"How did this happen?"_ TK thought stupidly, yet desperately, to himself, _"How did I not know?" _It clearly wasn't obvious that Kari had a boyfriend, given the way she acted with him. Taken girls are usually not as witty and slightly intimate as she was…_"Are they?" _he questioned. He shook his head, getting even more confused now with Kari's actions. _"If Davis were to see the way I hung around Kari…surely she would've minded that or at lease be a little comfortable that her boyfriend might see…but she was the one who…ugh!" _TK was getting nowhere near completing the puzzle. All he got was more unanswered questions and possibly a stronger headache.

"Why didn't she tell me?" he thought out in a whisper.

"_Maybe because we didn't get around to that topic," _TK continued in his mind, assuming so more as a question than a statement, _"I mean, we've only known each other for three days. Why would she tell someone she just met about her personal life? I'm in no place to have asked her either." _He ruffled his hair in annoyance. _"But she didn't make it obvious that she was taken! I would've asked if she did. In fact, any sane man would've sworn she's single with the way she acted. Overly-friendly and…" _TK stopped his thoughts, suddenly feeling extremely guilty for even daring to think poor of Kari. There was nothing bad about her, not even the slightest. He refused to believe that Kari was at wrong. Despite her upfront actions, there was something that always seemed so pure about the way she acted with him, the way she smiled, the way she laughed, and the way she touched him. It all just seemed so innocent, as if she herself wasn't aware of how slightly clingy her doings were. The moment of possible truth then hit him: _"What if it all seemed like nothing to her because I'm the only one who feels the connection?" _His heart sunk. The only logical assumption he made all day just _had _to be a heart wrenching one. Worst yet, it seemed more likely to be true the more he thought about it. Kari's clinginess and contagious attitude must genuinely just be who she is. It's probably all in her usual character. There's no girl like her, after all. If anything, she probably treated everyone that way. The reason she didn't find anything uncomfortable was because she doesn't feel the connection he does. She doesn't share the same feelings he has. _"Meaning," _TK finally concluded sadly, _"I'm the only one at loss here." _TK sighed and laid back onto his bed, eyes fixed numbly at the ceiling. _"Of course she doesn't feel anything. She has Davis."_

Thoughts of Davis then started to cloud up in his mind, much to his dismay. He recalled the time they first met. It was in front of Kari's café, where he had bumped into him. TK remembered how ridiculous he felt for feeling so uneasy and insecure when he saw Davis walk into the café because he thought Davis would fall in love with Kari. TK twitched, realizing the irony. _"I knew there was something about him," _TK thought, _"Geez, what were the odds?" _The image of Davis and Kari together saddened him. It was basically his paranoia that came to life. The girl he loved was in love with another man, and he played the oblivious, poor boy catching feelings. He briefly thought about how their relationship is, considering Kari never spoke of him. TK thought back to the time he ran into Davis the second time. It was at the mall in the men's restroom. TK closed his eyes in annoyance once he realized how near he was with the couple each time he encountered Davis. His memory of their conversation was very vivid, given TK's hidden ability to remember what he and other people talk about. They had spoke about girls, he recalled, and Davis showed him the bracelet he bought for his girlfriend—_"or Kari,"_ TK corrected bitterly—because of an argument. TK sat up, now curious and shamelessly pleased with the idea of Davis and Kari being in a quarrel. _"It must have been some big argument to flash her with an expensive gift as an apology," _TK judged, _"He almost sounded like he bought it just for the feud to end. How materialistic of him. Even I know how to properly apologize to a girl. She did tell me she was simple to please. But then again…"_

TK let out a defeated grunt and flopped back onto his bed. He doesn't know Kari enough to clear things up. Hell, he doesn't know her at all. No matter how much he judges Davis, no matter how much he questions Kari, and no matter how many times he tries to justify the actions of this mess, it wasn't going to change the fact that Kari is Davis' girlfriend and not his. The nasty, confusing feeling of loss tainted his hear.t It angered him. _"Dammit," _he thought pitifully, _"Why do I feel like I lost her when she wasn't even mine to begin with?" _The empty feeling just felt so real He _did _lose something: his chances. A light of hope then lit up. _"Just because I can't date her, doesn't mean our friendship is over…"_ That once hopeful light immediately shut off. Suddenly he realized the burdens of being just friends with the girl he loves. A girl he loves that has a boyfriend, for that matter. Never having experienced anything like this before, he didn't know quite what to do. He didn't know what he was supposed to do in situations like this. He was torn between wanting to stay away and never wanting to leave her. While he was fully aware that staying away could save him the trouble of even more heartache, he just couldn't find the power in him to do so. He didn't want to leave her. _"Leave her and what? Continue life as strangers?" _he thought, mad at himself. He even told her that he couldn't picture his life without her. He sighed. There was no turning back now. Memories of Kari started to fill his mind. Her smart mouth, witty attitude, her dangerously beautiful smile, her adorable expressions, her hugs, her touch…_"God," _He sighed again, _"There was no turning back EVER." _Kari had too much of a toll on him for him to just leave. His heart suddenly felt heavy. He took a deep breath. He understood what the pain was. Despite of Davis, he was still in love with her.

He was still in love with Kari.

"TK?" Matt called, peeping his head into TK's room, "Can I come in?"

TK sat up and nodded, "Sure."

Matt walked in and sat beside him, "You alright?"

"I've been worst," TK admitted, thought unsure if that was entirely true, "I'll survive."

"I'm sorry again," Matt said with sincerity, "Hey, let's go out. Clear your mind, or we can just hang out if you don't want to talk about it. Beats staying at home to sulk, "I'll drive."

TK blinked, surprised at his brother's request. He thought for a moment. Matt was right. Anything was better than sitting in his room wallowing in self-pity over a girl. He also saw this as a chance to get more closure on the situation. TK nodded and grabbed a jacket off the ground before standing.

"Okay."

Almost an hour has passed since the two brothers left the apartment, and they were still on the road. TK eyed Matt, who was driving. He hasn't said a word to him since they got in the car, but Matt's curiosity was too obvious. He looked like he was ready to combust with questions. _"He's probably unsure if it's okay to ask," _TK assumed. He sighed and decided to break the silence.

"Where are we going?" TK asked, initiating the small talk.

"A bar in the next town!" Matt replied excitedly, sounding too relived for the conversation, "Their happy hour lasts all day today and I thought we'd bond over some beer and burgers. It's been a while."

"But you're driving," TK stated, not comfortable with the idea of Matt drinking then driving, "Did you bring me so I can drive you home again?"

"Beer for you, burgers for me," Matt laughed, "It's about time I'd play the designated driver. Plus, you need to take a load off. It'll be my treat."

TK couldn't help but laugh along, memories of him picking up and caring for a drunken Matt coming to mind, "I guess. It really has been a while."

"That's the spirit!" Matt grinned, then eyed TK briefly before focusing back on the road, "So…how are you? Better?"

TK chuckled, now fully aware of what Matt really wanted to talk about, "Yeah. It just caught me off guard, is all."

"How'd you find out?" Matt asked eagerly, "About Davis, I mean. Give me the whole story."

"I told you, remember? I bumped into him at the café. Then I ran into him at the mall the other day. He recognized me and he showed me a gift he bought for his angry girlfriend. It was a bracelet. Then I saw Kari wear that exact bracelet today. You know the rest."

After TK finished his vague summary of what happened, the heavy heart sensation suddenly came back to him. The memory of TK seeing and even feeling the bracelet on Kari's wrist was very vivid. The look on her face, the sharp feeling in his chest, the way the bracelet somehow mocked him—it all stung. TK let out a deep sigh and carried on. There was a chance to finally talk about it. He might as well finish what he started.

"I don't know, man, " TK said, slumping in his seat a little, "Maybe you're right. Maybe this is just a phase. I'm way too over my head on this one. I mean, how can I be in love? I barely met her. I don't even know this girl."

"Do you really believe that though?"

"Believe what?"

"That you're not in love with her?"

TK paused. He didn't know quite how to answer that question because he didn't really know the answer himself. All he used to believe was that he was in love with her. There was nothing that could've convinced him otherwise. He couldn't even bring himself to actually say that he wasn't. However, _"I can't love her," _he thought in obvious despair, _"It's not right." _TK shook his head.

"I can't be in love with her," told TK, revealing his exact thoughts, "It just wouldn't be right."

"Just because you can't be in love with her doesn't mean you aren't," Matt nearly snorted, "And there's no rule saying you can't be in love with her either. It's okay!"

"What part of loving another guy's girl sounds okay to you?" TK asked in slight annoyance before exhaling sadly, "I feel like I lost her."

"But you didn't lose her?" Matt said slowly in confusion. It sounded more like a question than a statement.

"I mean, I feel like I lost my chance," TK explained more clearly, though in a numb manner, "Which feels like the same thing."

"But you didn't lose your chance either," Matt replied just as slowly, sounding even more confused with what TK was saying. TK twitched—now he was the confused one!

"What are you talking about?" TK asked, puzzled at how Matt didn't comprehend, "I DID lose my chance."

"No, you didn't…"

"I'm not going to go after a taken girl, dude!" TK nearly spat, now annoyed, "I'm not going to butt in other people's relationships. That's so low."

Matt let out a deep breath, ready to explain himself, "I'm just saying that you did not lose her or your chance at all. You're still her friend, aren't you? There's a_ chance _that _she'll _be the one to fall in love with you."

"So you want me to make her fall in love with me?" TK asked, baffled.

"No, that's not what I'm saying," Matt clarified, "Just be yourself. Again, I'm just saying that if you can't be her boyfriend, just be her friend. You'll never know what will happen."

TK stayed quiet for a moment to piece together what Matt was trying to explain. The question of whether or not he should leave came back to haunt him. While he was beyond certain that he'd hate more than anything to leave her side, he questioned if he had the power to stay. He had only heard it before in movies, but now he was really starting to understand the idea that there really was no greater pain than seeing the one you love, love someone else. TK rested his head against the window; mind and heart weighing heavy with emotion. Everything was just so alien to him. TK never felt like this prior to meeting Kari ever in his life. He couldn't stand it. _"…But," _TK thought as his senses got back to him, _"If I could've avoided these damn feelings by never meeting her, I wouldn't have ever taken that chance."_ He didn't regret meeting her. The idea of never meeting Kari pained him. He'd rather bear the struggle of knowing her than not knowing her at all; she already meant that much to him. TK groaned. He felt even more unsure than before.

"I don't know," TK sighed, "That still doesn't seem right."

"Suit yourself," Matt shrugged simply, though with a smug smirk on his lips.

Before TK could comment on that sudden smirk, Matt pulled into a parking lot of a rather large and flashy bar called Digi's Pub and Grill. He examined it briefly. It looked familiar. Although, he picked up Matt form countless bars before so it was no surprise that it looked familiar to him. Matt parked, unbuckled, and grinned at his little brother.

"Let's go!"

Once in the bar, the smell of barbeque, burgers and beer immediately surrounded them. As emotionally distressed as he was, TK couldn't help but be both distracted and tempted by the aroma. He felt famished for not eating all day, so the smell was definitely alluring. They both decided to sit at the bar, which always seemed like the chosen spot whenever they went to a pub together. Matt ordered the food along with a soda for him and a glass of fine beer for TK. The drinks came first, and TK took a sip. The bitter, cold taste was almost unfamiliar, given its been a while since he last drank. He considered himself as one of the guys who drink only on occasions. TK took another sip and the strong taste started to become more tolerable. He then thought about the food and why it was taking a while to arrive. All of a sudden, an image of Kari flashed into his mind. TK felt his body freeze and his face grow warm. _"Why did I think of her?" _TK thought, bewildered, _"W-wasn't I just thinking about food?" _Before he knew it, even more thoughts and images of Kari started to cloud up in his head. What's worst, Davis came to mind as well. Kari's smile. Davis. Kari's laugh. Davis. Kari's touch. Davis. And just as abruptly as the thoughts came, a disturbing image of Kari and Davis embracing intruded his mind. TK twitched in obvious annoyance and discomfort. He took a large gulp of the beer and when he tried to gulp again, the glass was already empty. He stared stupidly at his glass and then at Matt, who was laughing.

"Their beer must be delicious. You already finished it!"

TK glared, his face full of distress. Matt flinched at TK's cold stare. It took a moment, but Matt realized the reason for his brother's grumpy face. He let out a chuckled sigh and raised his hand towards the bartender.

"Another signature beer on the rocks, please."

"How do _you _know Davis?" TK cut to the chase, disregarding the fact that his brother ordered him a second drink, "What's he like?"

Eager to engage in conversation, Matt answered, "He's an okay guy, I guess. I don't really talk to him, so I don't know much about him. Tai doesn't really approve of him."

Matt's face fell a bit. It looked as though he remembered something important. He even looked a bit bothered, if TK wasn't mistaken. But before TK could ask, Matt spoke up again, "I met him almost a year ago. He and Kari had just started dating then. Tai was so mad he—"

"They've been dating for almost a year now?" TK interrupted childishly, "Geez…"

"Yeah, he's her first boyfriend too," Matt replied, "He asked her out after Kari came back from…."

Matt paused, suddenly looking very worried. TK raised a brow. It sounded like Matt stopped himself from saying something he wasn't supposed to say. TK's eyes lowered, smoldering his brother. He wasn't I the mood for any more secrets.

"From?" TK persisted, "Spill it out, Matt. I've had enough of not knowing anything."

"Don't tell anyone I told you," Matt warned, "I'm not even supposed to know. Tai just told me himself out of trust, so I expect the same."

"Got it," TK replied, more curious now than he was impatient.

Matt took a deep breath before proceeding, "She ran away that time. No one knows where or why, besides Tai. She was gone for about two weeks. Three? I don't remember. But when she came back, Davis asked her out. She had been very vulnerable to him at that time. I've never seen her so emotionally unstable and lifeless at the same time. That's really all I know, though. Tai didn't go into much detail with me. I don't think he wanted to."

TK just stared, heart once again heavy. That was more than what he bargained for. He thought he didn't know who Kari was before, but now it was a whole other ball game. _"She ran away?_" he thought in confusion and concern, _"Emotionally unstable? But she always seems so happy…" _He then remembered the conversation he had with Yolei earlier in the day, where Yolei told him how insecure and negative Kari could be. Now he couldn't help but feel incredibly worried about her. His urge to run out of the bar and go find her was too strong, but not as strong as the common sense holding him back. He had to know more.

"Is she better now?" TK asked, voice a bit small.

"I'd like to think so," said Matt honestly, "I mean, it seems like she's doing fine these days. Must be because of her café."

"Didn't she just open that up though?" TK asked, more serious.

"Yeah, it was a fast process actually," Matt said, eyes fixed on the waiter bringing in their food, "Everything happened in just a matter of a few months. The idea, the blueprint, the construction, the opening—everything."

The food arrived, distracting Matt form what he was saying. However, TK's appetite seemed to cease and vanish. Suddenly, he didn't feel hungry for food anymore after being thrown all those shocking news. Instead, he was hungry to know more. _"If she started to feel better because of her café, does that mean she's only got better just a few months ago? Has she still been hurting before then?" _TK's face then scrunched in suspicion, _"But she's been dating Davis for a year. Does that mean she still wasn't completely happy even when she got with Davis? Isn't it Davis' job to make her happy? How does a café make her more happy than her own boyfriend?" _He then got heated. _"But then why'd she run away?! Why was she unstable? Is she completely fine now? Is she really better? She always seemed so strong-minded and happy before. Maybe she's been hiding it this whole time." _His heat died down, but soon came in a very depressing aura. _"Or maybe she is genuinely happy now and that Davis coming into her life played positive role on helping her get better…maybe he healed her. And that the café just made her happier…" _Once again, the heat fired back up. _"But that still doesn't mean I can't be her friend! If anything, this just gives me more of a reason to stay! Stay to be a good friend and…dammit!" _Now the dilemma of staying friends with the one he loves found its way back into his mind. He just couldn't escape anything! TK let out an annoyed groan. Before he knew it, he had once again finished his last gulp of his second glass of poison. He was already raising his hand for the bartender before the glass even escaped his lips.

"Hit me again."

A seventh glass and a half devoured burger later, TK sulkily rested his head on the hand balanced sloppily by his elbow. TK felt his brother's stare, but he felt too lazy and too buzzed to acknowledged it. Matt playfully ruffled his brother's hair and laughed.

"You good?"

"Nnn."

"Your good to beer ratio is beyond off, bro!" Matt chuckled, though with worry, "Never drink on an empty stomach—that's Drinking 101. You should know that."

"Sorry I'm not as knowledgeable on alcohol as you," TK mumbled sarcastically, still not facing him.

"Actually, beer has only 4% alcohol compared to most alcoholic drinks," Matt laughed proudly, "You're lucky we didn't order any hard liquor. You wouldn't be able to handle, Mr. Light Weight!"

TK just stayed quiet, too annoyed with Matt's worlds. Matt's voice started to sound more like gibberish each passing second. His laughter even rang a bit painfully in his head. But he was able to pick up Matt asking, "Are you okay, though?"

"Yeah," TK managed to say before groggily getting up, "I'm going to use the restroom."

"Want me to come with?"

"Nah, I'm good."

TK started to walk towards the restroom with even a cloudier mind than before. Although this time, it was filled with dark clouds of numb emotion as opposed to painful logic. Images of Kari were blurrier in his head, much to this relief. He sighed, still feeling helpless. No amount of alcohol could distort how beautiful Kari is to him, even if it was a blurred vision. The sight of her contagious smile brought a smile to his own. There was just no escaping her. TK leaned against the wall, unable to balance his wear mind. He grew a bit dizzy; _now _he regretted not finishing his food. He leaned back his head, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.

"What am I going to do?" TK quietly groaned.

"For starts, you should move out of the way. You're blocking the door to the restroom!" called a girly voice, startling him.

TK opened his eyes and before him stood a no doubt beautiful girl, with golden, curly locks and strikingly noticeable green eyes. She was a bit taller tan Kari, though the heels she wore could question her true height. She wore tight jeans ad loose blouse along with those heels. TK raised his brow slightly. It was a bit flashy for a day at a burger bar, but he was in no pace to judge. She also sounded and looked foreign despite her fluency in Japanese—French? Italian? He wasn't sure. But what he was sure about was that despite her obvious beauty, Kari was still much, much more beautiful to him. Kari's beauty outshined all, and now this girl's presence just made him think of Kari even more A stupid, smitten smile soon formed on his lips.

"Hello? Earth to blondy! What are you grinning about?"

"H-huh?" TK snapped back to life, though with his grin still smugly planted on his face.

"So are you just going to stand in front of the girl's restroom all day or?" the blond girl asked with humor, "Are you like playing body guard for your girlfriend in there or something?"

"No, I'm not!" TK responded a bit bitterly as he leaned off the wall. The word 'girlfriend' hit him like a bullet. "Sorry for getting in your way."

TK just realized that he snapped. His temper levels were not as stable when he was under the influence of alcohol. He didn't mean to, but the word just threw him back into undesired thoughts. He figured he might as well leave now before he made an even bigger jerk out of himself. But before he could, the girl spoke up.

"Are you alright?" genuine concern in her voice as she asked, "You've obviously be drinking. Heart break?"

"Close enough," TK answered automatically, alcohol catching up to him.

"Close enough?" she repeated, mocking him, "You're either heart broken or you're not."

This girl reminded him a lot of Yolei, sarcasm and mockery and all. It made him laugh. Words came out o his mouth before he even noticed.

"I am heart broken. I am one heart broken son of a gun over a girl I fell in love with at first sight only days ago. Days ago!" TK realized how ridiculous he sounded and then laughed another stupid laugh at both the situation and himself, "I'm sorry. I don't do usually do this."

"I can tell," the girl laughed along, "I'm sorry for your situation. Love gets the worst of us, sometimes. It happens." She then extended her hand, "My name is Catherine, by the way. I'm new in town."

"_Catherine_," TK repeated with a grin, her name rolling off his tongue, "That's a cute name. Kari's a cute name too. A very beautiful name, actually."

Catherine snickered, "Oh so this Kari is the culprit, huh?"

"Culprit of my heart," TK snickered back, now incapable of controlling his drunken words, "I love her. But she doesn't love me. She loves _him_."

By 'him', he meant the dirty mop at the corner that he sloppily pointed at as he said so. Catherine laughed again, but before she can say a word, TK took a strand of her long hair and put it to his lips. At this point, he had no sense of control. His mind was blurred, his heart was broken, and Catherine's beauty was dangerously tempting.

"Maybe it's because they're both brunette," TK sighed, inhaling her scent, "Maybe Kari doesn't like blonds."

"Don't be ridiculous—" Catherine started but was halted when TK gently put his thumb on her chin and slowly raised her face towards his.

"Maybe you and I should date," TK said quietly with hoax, "Since we're both blond."

Before he was even aware of what he said—a moment of panic striking once he did—their lips met. He didn't know who went in for the kill first, but once he was in, there was no escaping. Soon both were just two people carrying away in deep intimacy, lost in a lustful, broken bliss filled with nothing but damaged spirits and vanished dignity.

(shift)

"A month?!" Yolei yelled in shock, causing Kari to jump in her seat as she drove.

"Yes, Yolei. A month," Kari clarified, annoyed, "And can you please not yell while I drive? It's frustrating and it makes me nervous."

"You're the frustrating one!" Yolei whined, "I can't believe you haven't spoken to TK in over a month! Please explain everything because I will not let it go until I understand."

Kari sighed in defeat, knowing she was never going to escape this topic. It was enough that Tai kept bugging her about it, but now her best friend was in on it too. And she was more than aware that when Yolei says she will not let it go, she definitely means it. Kari decided now to explain everything just to avoid any more questions in the future.

"In my defense, I did text him like two weeks ago," Kari said, then she slightly frowned, "He just never responded."

"What?! What a jerk. What did you say?"

Kari paused before responding. "Nothing, really. I just said hello and asked how he was doing. Maybe just got too busy to respond. It happens," Kari shrugged, "I don't want to bother him either, so I didn't bother to text him anymore after that."

"Busy? No right guy is busy enough to not respond to a text after a whole damn month," Yolei spat out in annoyance, "What could he possibly be doing?"

"Well, I actually ran into Matt last week," Kari said, suddenly remembering, "I asked him how TK's been, and he told me that TK's been busy with this one internship. I don't remember what it was, but it's fine. It must be important."

Kari's face fell as she recalled the moment. Matt looked sad when she asked him how TK was doing, which was odd since he was happy throughout the conversation before she asked. It was almost as if he was hiding something, or retraining himself from telling her something that might sadden her It hurt her feelings a little. _"Is TK really avoiding me?" _she thought sadly, _"The last time I heard from him was—"_

"When was the last time you guys ever spoke?" Yolei asked, as if she was reading her mind.

"That day he dropped off the dresses."

"You're kidding!" Yolei said, surprised, "That's when I last saw him too. Did anything happen?"

As much as Kari didn't want to, she recollected the memories of that day. She remembered his concerned expression when she fell. She remembered his confused expression when he saw her bracelet. She remembered his hurt expression when they parted ways. Kari felt a tightening feeling in her heart. That guilty reaction of wanting to hide Davis from him found its way back to her. Knowing that Yolei was still waiting, she sighed.

"I don't know," Kari replied, not being able to find any other words.

"Do you miss him?" Yolei asked curiously.

It took a moment before Kari responded, "Of course I do. I mean, he was fun to be around."

"Do you think he misses you?"

An instant blush came across her cheeks when the memory of TK's first text to her came to mind. That text was very dear to her, despite that it was collecting dust in her inbox. Not only was it her first text from it, it also contained the first photo they ever took together. He had texted her saying he missed her after their first "date", yet he didn't seem to contact her since then. However, that didn't change the fact that he once did miss her. Kari smiled sadly before answering:

"I'd like to think so."

"Do you have feelings for him?"

Kari broke a bit too hard at the stoplight, startled with Yolei's question. Sure Yolei was already bombarding her with blunt questions, but she didn't expect that at all. She took a moment to look at Yolei with confused eyes, but then she was surprised to see Yolei staring back at her with the dullest of expressions. It made her uncomfortable of how Yolei could ask her such questions. Kari looked back towards the road and cleared her throat.

"Why do you ask questions like that when you know I have a boyfriend?" she asked, slightly offended.

"Well, you're giving me answers as if you like him, even though you told me you didn't," Yolei pouted unapologetically.

"So admitting that I miss him and hoping that he misses me means I like him?" Kari snapped childishly, "That's something any sane person would say."

"_Sane,_" Yolei mimicked, rolling her eyes at the word, "I'm just saying that it's noticeable that you haven't been yourself lately. Sometimes, I catch you at work dozing off or staring at the door majority of the time as if you're waiting for him or something," Yolei then sighed sadly, "You just seem more distracted and…unhappy. It makes me worry. So I'm sorry about the questions. I care about you Kari, is all."

Kari was stuck between feeling bad for snapping at Yolei and embarrassed that Yolei not only caught her staring at the door at work, but also guessed the correct reason why. She'd be in complete denial if she were to say that she was completely fine. Kari had to admit that she ahs been indeed more distracted the past couple weeks since the TK incident. A depressing aura started to surround her. She hated thinking about TK, because it only made her miss him more and feel more helpless because she couldn't do anything about it. She sighed and smiled yet another sad smile.

"I know. I'm sorry. Thank you for your care, but really, I'm fine," Kari said, trying to sound as reassuring as she can, "I've just been tired. There's just so much to take care of these days."

"If you say so," Yolei replied, still not convinced but much to Kari's surprise, she didn't pester on…or so she thought, "So how are you and Davis?"

Kari's heart winced at that question. Somehow, she suddenly found questions about TK to be more tolerable than this. She really didn't want to talk about Davis. Not because of the fact that talking about Davis made her uncomfortable—though it did sometimes—but because she really didn't have anything to say about him. There wasn't much to talk about with their relationship despite their constant arguments over the same issues. But Kari new well enough not to talk about it and open a whole new can of worms. Her face fell at the term 'same issues'. A month has passed, yet the couple still argued over Kari's jealousy problems when it came to his 'friends'. She frowned. _"Maybe it is me," _she thought, blaming herself, _"Maybe I am too clingy…" _Noticing that Yolei was still waiting and not wanting Yolei to get suspicious, she cleared her throat again and answered in a very dull and subtle manner:

"Good."

Literally seconds after she answered, she already found herself slowly parking in front of Yolei's house. Kari couldn't help but finally feel relieved that she can final drop off Yolei; now she didn't have to answer any other nerve-wrecking questions she may want to ask. The moment she parked, Yolei reached over and gave Kari a tight embrace.

"Love you, K-Star," Yolei said sweetly before releasing, "I'm always here if you want to talk. Don't push yourself too hard, okay?"

Kari smiled and told her 'okay' as Yolei smiled back and stepped out of the car. Yolei got to her house and waved good-bye one last time before entering. As hard as it was to keep up with her, Kari was beyond grateful for Yolei's friendship. She never sugar coats anything, which Kari both appreciates and fear at the same time. She was Kari's wake-up call in most situations. Kari glanced at the time on the car's clock. 5:15 PM. _"Hm. It's still pretty early. Feels like we just got off work hours ago," _she thought, raising a brow, _"I might as well go grocery shopping now. I've been prolonging it way too long." _She reached over for her phone that was in her purse. _"Good thing I saved the grocery list on my phone…" _She unlocked her phone, found the list and scrolled through. As she did so, she couldn't stop the memory of the text she sent to TK from getting in her head. Her fingers froze on the screen as she thought about it. _"Had he really been that busy?" _Kari thought, sadness and doubt overwhelming her. Much to her frustration, she found herself going through her text messages to find his name. She tapped his name and instantly popped up their conversation. Although, Kari wouldn't call it much of a conversation, given that it was just two messages. The first text was TK's first message with the photo, followed by her message to him that stated:

Hey! It's been a while. I feel like I haven't seen you in ages…I hope you're doing okay. We're having a tasting event at the café tomorrow if you'd like to come! Don't worry it's not for coffee! It's for cake, and who could say no to free cake? LOL. Well, hope to see you there. Take care =)

Kari nearly rolled her eyes at her message. She now realized how weird she must've sounded to have texted him almost a paragraph. A simple 'hello, how are you?' would've sufficed. And the happy face in the end—What was she? A promoter? Kari sighed. She knew she used the event as an excuse to talk to him. The week after the incident where she hadn't heard from TK at all mentally damaged her. The days waiting for a contact, the stressful nights thinking over what she may have done wrong, missing him dreadfully all the while in between—it was torturous. She still felt guilty. She felt like she deserved it. There was no way she could forgive herself for that sad look she saw in TK's eyes. If there were ever a look so sad, it would've been his. Kari winced. _"I must've been really bad to him." _Yolei's question then came to mind: 'do you have feelings or him?'. Kari started up her car and started driving towards the market before resuming to her troubled thoughts. Obviously if she feels guilty for hurting him and if she years for his attention, then must have a special place in his heart. _"But what IS he to me?" _she thought desperately, _"Why do I feel this way? Why do I miss him so much? Why do I feel so lonely when he's not near?" _She let out a loud whine. _"How can I feel this way when I barely even know him? I've literally only hung out with him once or twice, for Pete's sake! So why do I…this way…with him…" _A painful assumption then hit her: _"Maybe he just forgot about me." _The thought of being forgotten became painful. Unexpectedly, she felt a wet sensation slowly travel down her cheek. Her eyes widened in utter shock.

"What the heck…" she mumbled, using one hand to harshly rub away her unwelcomed tears while the other stayed on the wheel, "Why am I…ugh."

Fortunately for her, she was nearing the parking lot of the market. She quickly pulled up into a parking spot, parked, and stared dully ahead. Within seconds, she felt a tight feeling in her throat and before another tear could fall, she covered her face with both hands and let out a shaken breath.

"What's going on with me…"

Two or so long minutes later of sitting in silence, Kari was able to pull herself back together. She removed her hands from her face and was glad to see that it was dry. Knowing that she as able to stop her tears gave her back a little sense of pride. Kari grabbed her purse, got out of her car and walked towards the market. She got out her phone as a reference for her grocery list so she can get through the errand quicker. The list consisted most of milk, sugar, flour and eggs. She grabbed a basket and went on her way. About ten minutes and a heavy basket later, her groceries were all complete. She shifted up the basket in her arms and sighed, _"Knew I should have just got a cart._" As Kari made her way towards the registers, she noticed she was in the candy aisle. One candy bar caught her eye: the cookies and cream chocolate bar. And much to her luck: it was the last one left! Kari smiled giddily as she reached over to grab it. _"Finally something going right for once!" _However, she had thought too soon. The moment she grabbed the candy bar, someone else had already grabbed it on the other end. Bothered that the only thing that made sense was getting snatched away from her, she looked up towards the victim with an annoyed, grumpy face. But that expression soon vanished when she realized who it was. Her heart pounded harshly. Blond hair, blue eyes. It was him. It was TK.

No wards were able to find their way to her voice. Their eyes locked, but the made no sound or movement. She was speechless and motionless; completely frozen. Her widened eyes matched his own. He, too, looked just as surprised and incapable to say something. Their eyes still remained fixed on each other's, as if lost in the depths of their being. Kari's heart started to race. The nerves were kicking in. She hadn't seen him in so long. She had so much to say to him, but now she couldn't find the words to speak. She didn't remember. She couldn't remember. She was too overwhelmed with finally seeing him again. All the troublesome emotions she tried to avoid found its way back to her. She didn't quite know if she was happy to see him, sad that he's been avoiding her, or scared to talk to her. Perhaps it was all three. Kari had to snap out of it. The more she prolonged not saying anything, the more difficult it would be to interact with him later. Nerves still getting the worst of her, she managed to let go of the candy bar and let out an awkward laugh.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to grab it from you," Kari said with her heart pounding.

"No, it's fine!" TK replied, also looking like he came back to his senses, "Here, you probably want it more than I do…"

"Ah, no it's okay!" Kari exclaimed nervously, "It's yours. Keep it."

"Are you sure—"

"Y-yeah, don't worry about it!" Kari interrupted quickly without meaning to.

Kari's nervousness was getting more and more exposed by the second. She was speaking too fast and she couldn't control it. Her nerves were making her miserable. The vibe between them was just so awkward; she didn't know what to do. Her eyes drifted away. She couldn't face him. The longer she stared at him, the more she felt as though her heart was going to explode. To her dismay or relief—she didn't know which—TK spoke up.

"So…you like cookies and cream?" TK asked randomly, sounding just as shy.

"Huh?" Kari blinked, looking back up at him, "Oh…Yeah. They're my favorite."

"Really?" TK lit up with the smile Kari missed so much, "Mine too!"

"Oh my gosh, how funny! Something we both like for once," Kari chirped. His smile was contagious. She was relieved that a normal conversation started to emerge.

"Haha, yeah," TK said as his smile cooled down a much calmer one, "So how have you been? It's been a while."

"I've been okay," Kari lied, purposely disregarding that even TK knew it has been a while, "Just busy with the café and all. Same old, same old. How about you?"

TK didn't answer right away. Kari stared, confused. He suddenly looked more nervous than before. Nervous and…sad? Scared? Kari couldn't quite put her finger on it. But whatever it was, it didn't seem pleasant. It started to make her more nervous. Thinking that TK was about to share some bad news of how he's been, she opened her mouth to consul him with words of comfort, but he spoke up before she had the chance to.

"I have a girlfriend now, so I guess it's been a bit different for me."

It was Kari's turn to be silent. Her world stopped and froze again. Out of all things she was expecting him to say, that one was the least expected. She felt that heavy feeling in her heart again. But now it seemed heavier. Heavier with agony, with disbelief, with shock, with fear and with jealous. It hurt. She didn't even know why she felt those horrid emotions in the first place when TK was just a friend to her. Her eyes slightly widened. The moment of truth then stabbed her right through her heart: TK wasn't just a friend to her. The question Yolei had asked finally got its answer. She _does_ have feelings for TK. There was no denying it at this point. Kari liked him, and it just had to be until someone else took him away from her for her to realize it. Her heart clenched at the realization. He has a girlfriend. A girlfriend! A feeling of loss came to her senses, and it just drew in more confusion. _"Why do I feel like I lost him?" _Kari thought in excruciating sadness, _"He wasn't even mine…"_ She felt his stare and noticed that she didn't respond yet. She wanted to talk. She wanted to congratulate him. She wanted to shower her support. But no words came out. She still couldn't find the power to speak. _"Smile, you idiot!" _Kari cried out in her thoughts, _"Say something!" _However, the more she tried, the more it hurt. It felt forceful; forcing herself to be happy for him when she wasn't. She wasn't happy for him, and it was then she realized how bad of a friend she really was. Suddenly, TK broke the silence and disturbed her thoughts.

"Listen, Kari, I'm—"

Hearing TK's voice was too much to bear. She forced out a smile and interrupted, finally being able to say, "Haha, wow! I haven't seen you in a month and now you have a girlfriend! That's great news. Congrats!"

She finally looked up at him and smiled, but everything she felt was the complete opposite of what she told. It hurt to smile, and she did not want him to notice the pain behind it. But the longer she held the smile, the more she couldn't take it. It just hurt. She wanted to vanish more than anything. But once again, TK spoke.

"Thanks," he said, though his voiced sounded small and his smile also seemed insincere, "How are you and yours? Your boyfriend, I mean?"

Kari just stared. She never once told him about Davis, or that she had a boyfriend. She didn't mean to not tell hi; it just never came up. But, _"How does he know?" _she thought. Immediate assumption of Matt telling TK came to mind first, but somehow TK finding out about her boyfriend through her bracelet seemed more logical. TK wouldn't have seemed so shocked about the bracelet if it weren't. _"Does he know it's Davis, though?" _she thought in slight panic. A hard thud occurred in her heart at the thought of Davis. Suddenly, the memories of their arguments came to mind, just as they did when Yolei asked. There was really nothing positive she can say, and it was at that moment when she felt the loneliest. Her smile became faint.

"Good," she answered, not being able to hide the obvious sadness in her voice.

She decided to use the same answer because nothing else cam to mind. Kari knew now that she had to leave. There was no point in staying. The only thing she was getting out of their conversation was that she a bigger fool than she thought. But before she could start her good-byes, a voice came in from behind them.

"TK!"

Kari and TK turned towards the voice. What came pouncing towards them was a blond girl with long, curly golden locks wearing a long-sleeved dress ad boots that were perfect for the last week of Fall. The girl's eyes shined for miles. She was gorgeous. Kari then realized what was coming at her. Her heart skipped a beat. She said a little prayer in her head, hoping that the girl was not whom she thought it was. Her heart started pounding painfully. Her nerves came back, causing her to panic. Before she could make more of the situation, the blond girl reached them and immediately linked arms with TK, also taking him by surprise. Kari froze. The girl looked at Kari, revealing more of her beautiful green eyes, and blinked.

"I was wondering where you went! I was looking all over for you," she told TK, though her eyes were still fixed on Kari, "Who may this be?"

Kari looked at TK, her eyes asking him the same question. TK caught Kari's glance and the moment their eyes locked, she noticed the same sadness in TK's eyes that she saw before. He looked nervous; uncomfortable, even. She knew then the answer to her unspoken question by just looking in his eyes. Kari wasn't ready for all of this. It was all happening too fast. She braced herself once she hearted him start to speak.

"Catherine, this is Kari," he said, a bit uneasily as he broke their gaze, "Kari, this is Catherine. My…girlfriend."

He sounded hesitant at his last words, but that didn't change the fact that it was said. At this point, she didn't how to react. The truth was literally standing right before her very eyes and there was nothing she could do about it. No more assumptions, no more guesses. That Catherine was _her_. That was his girlfriend. She found out all that she needed to know. What pained the most was when TK looked away from her as he answered. It was as if he didn't want here there. That thought clenched at her heart and the feeling of loneliness started to drown her even more than before. Catherine then spoke, startling her senses.

"Hello, nice to meet you!" Catherine smiled, as she held out her hand to her.

"Nice to meet you too," Kari stared at her dazed and shyly shook her hand. Her voice was quiet.

Catherine's hands were soft. She felt them as Catherine squeezed her hands gently. Though her hands were warm, the sensation that traveled through her was cold. That caused Kari to fully face her and look at her in closer perspective. Beyond her obvious beauty, she noticed something different. There was a strange gleam in her eyes. It looked mischievous, like an eye full of secrets. And if Kari wasn't seeing things, she could've sworn she saw a slight smirk on Catherine's pink lips. But before she could get any more thought, Catherine released her hold and straightened.

"Your hands are so cold!" Catherine laughed kindly, "You should dress more warmly. It's almost winter! That's a cute dress you have on, though. I like your apron, too!"

Kari looked down at her outfit and blushed in embarrassment. She totally forgot what she was wearing! She shifted her basket to carry in front of her, as if to cover her.

"Ah, thank you," Kari said bashfully, "I just got off work and I left my jacket in the car."

"Oh, I see! I was going to say that you were dressed too cute for just groceries!" Her voice was just as beautiful as he looks, Kari thought. Catherine spoke again, "Where do you work?"

"Just a café," Kari replied, growing even more uncomfortable with their conversation.

"A café?" Catherine asked excitedly before turning to face TK, "Hon, we should totally go!"

Kari winced. _Hon. _She felt beyond awkward being in the presence of their nickname calling. The idea of TK coming into the café with his girlfriend wasn't so pleasant either. _"They must've been dating for a while for them to be calling each other names," _pondered Kari. Another question then popped in her head. She knew asking this would stir more heartache, but she had to know. It was the last thing she needed clarified. Her heart was already a mess, so there was no point holding back now. Kari went for the kill:

"So how long have you guys been dating?"

TK's gaze suddenly went right back to her, his eyes wide. Kari felt his stare, but did not stare back at him. She couldn't. Instead, she looked at Catherine, who just looked right back at her with a smile.

"A little over a month now!"

Kari stared at her appalled. That was not what she expected to her. What she did expect was to hear that they've been dating for a year or something and that TK just never got around to tell her about it, given their short meets. _"But a month?" _Kari thought, more baffled now than hurt, _"The last time I ever spoken to him was last month, though…" _Realizations the started to flow into her head. _"So does that mean he dated her right after meeting me But they could've already been talking before he met me…Is this why TK hasn't been talking to me? Because he's busy with his girlfriend? Did Matt lie to me? Was everything he told before just…" _Kari felt weak. He couldn't bring herself to say that everything TK told her before were just lies. Memories of her and Tk's date came to mind. Everything he said to her sounded so sincere: _I really can't imagine my life without you. _Nothing made sense. Somehow, TK ignoring her for his girlfriend just didn't seem right. He did not seem like that kind of guy. But then again—her face fell at this recall—she knew nothing of him.Her heart was stabbed with her final thought, _"Maybe he really did forget about me." _She couldn't take it anymore. If she stayed any longer, she was going to explode and it wasn't going to be pretty. Kari quickly bowed and didn't look at either of the two once she straightened up.

"It's getting late—I really have to get going," Kari aid as kindly as she could, "I have more errands to run."

"Oh that's no problem! Sorry for keeping you!'" exclaimed Catherine, as if speaking for both herself and TK, "Hope to see you around."

Kari nodded and shifted the basket again. It was getting heavier under her numb arms. Suddenly, a flash of courage struck her. She didn't know what came over her, but somehow she found enough strength to look back at TK and give him one last sincere, yet painful, smile. Their eyes immediately locked.

"It was nice seeing you again, TK."

And with just that, she turned away and walked towards the registers. Kari found herself walking faster as time past and before she knew it, she was already by the exit. She wanted to leave desperately. She didn't want to stay in the same building as those two. The burdens were just too heavy on her shoulders. Without giving it a second thought, she carefully placed her basket by the banana stand that stood by the exit and quickly made her way out. Just as quickly, she got into her car, started it up and drove off. It was like an adrenaline rush. Her nerves started to calm down as she drove, but it was to the point of emotional numbness. She couldn't feel. Her eyes stayed fixed on the road and her mind as blank. Everything that happened just felt so unreal. She tried to process it, but her mind wouldn't let her. Instead, she just drove on with only the sound of the outside world to keep her company. Five minutes later, her quiet ride home soon came to and end as she pulled into the driveway of her home. Once she parked and turned off her engine, immense emotions crept back into her like venom. All the images she wanted to forget flashed repeatedly in her mind: seeing TK, TK looking away, meeting Catherine, Catherine's beauty, the way they looked together—it just wouldn't stop. The feelings that came along with the images struck her like daggers. The embarrassment, the guilt, the nervousness, the jealousy, and the depression she felt started to pour down on her like icy water. She couldn't avoid it. Kari reached her limit. It wasn't until she rested her head on the steering wheel when the harsh, shameful tears started to hopelessly fall and when her dignity finally scattered into the pieces of hope she once had.

(shift)

The pain he saw in her eyes were real. Insanely real that it was noticed at first glance. She looked so different. So thin, so pale, and so…fragile. The light he usually saw in her was dim, if not dead. He watched her walk away from him and Catherine, still in a daze over her last words: _It was nice seeing you again, TK. _There was indeed some sincerity in her voice, but that was probably the only positive thing he could pick up. Besides that, she just sounded so hurt. _"But why?" _TK asked himself in extreme worry, refusing to let it go, _"What happened to her? Why does she…Did I…How did this…?" _So many questions rang in his head. He was getting a headache just listening to his own thoughts. But the headache pain did not compare to the one rising in his heart. He hadn't seen or heard her for a month until that moment, and that definitely was not how he pictured their reunion. He couldn't get her pained expression out of his head. Her voice had been so small when she spoke to them; so small and so vulnerable. _Vulnerable_. That word echoed in his head. It sounded familiar. He then recalled what Matt told him the day they were at the bar: _She had been very vulnerable at that time. "Has she returned back to that stage?" _TK wondered, concernedly. He suddenly started to feel bad. Guiltiness started to build up in is system. There was no denying that he felt as though Kari's pain was because of him. Never before has she stared at him with those sad, lost eyes. There was no way she could give him such a look if it wasn't meant for him. He felt ashamed. He knew himself what he had done wrong, what he was doing wrong, rather. He knew that he ad avoided her since the bracelet incident, and he shamefully knew that if he hadn't ran into her now, he would've continued avoiding her like the coward he was. He couldn't stop thinking about how broken she looked. _"Had she been like that all this time?" _he thought, angry at himself, _"If I hadn't noticed now, would she still be like that?" _The idea of Kari still going on in pain like that made him sick to the stomach. Not only had he avoided her, he avoided her when she tried to reach to him. Kari's text came to mind. She wanted to see him. Maybe she wanted to talk, or maybe she just wanted to spend time with someone to ease her stress. Whatever the reason was, he could never know because he never responded, again, like the coward he was. Realizing that he could have potentially helped her out made him feel even guiltier. _"Dammit," _he thought, ashamed, _"What kind of friend am I?" _He thought he accepted the role of being her friend instead of her lover, as Matt had once suggested, but he realized now that he wasn't near a friend to her at all. He shut her out of his life without even knowing it, yet he expected for things to be all right between them when they reunite? He felt like a fool. He _was_ a fool. TK couldn't find the strength to forgive himself; the guilt was just too overpowering. He didn't know all the reasons for Kari's distress, but he was more than certain that he was one of them.

"So, _that's _Kari Kari, huh?" said Catherine, snapping him back to life.

"H-huh?" stuttered TK, as if just awakened. They were already in line to pay.

"You were quiet and distracted while we were shopping," Catherine explained before revealing a humored grin, "She is a lot prettier than I imagined. I had to picture her myself, since you never spoke about her. How is she doing?"

"She's doing alright," TK managed to say, recalling Kari's words, "Just busy with work."

"I see. How are her and her boyfriend doing?" she asked, as if she knew what they talked about.

TK looked at Catherine funny, confused with her question. He hadn't given much thought about Davis—not as much as Kari anyways—but that soon changed when he remembered Kari's simple, yet troubled, answer from when he asked:

"Good," TK replied dully, using Kari's exact answer.

Catherine just replied with an 'Okay, that's cool' before resuming her attention to the varieties of gum on the shelves as they continued waiting in line. TK engaged in deeper thought of Kari's answer. _Good_. For some reason, it sounded really insincere when she said it. Kari's eyes did most of the talking, and there was no hiding the grief that was shown when she answered 'good'. Her eyes told the complete opposite. Anger started to build up in him bit by bit. Not just anger towards him, but also towards Davis. He expected more from him for dating a very beautiful and kind girl. He expected Davis to make her happy. _"Does he even know Kari is like that?" _TK thought bitterly, _"She looks so broken. He must be blind to not see that she's in pain. Shouldn't he be doing something to make her feel okay through it all? Kari is going through something, isn't it his job to make sure she's happy? She looked much more alive when I had met her, and they were still dating at that time…" _A vicious fire then lit in him. _"Did we do something to her? Did something happen between them? Did he hurt her?" _The assumption drove him mad. Despite his cowardly ways, Kari was still very precious to him. There was not a day where he did not think of her. Everyday he hoped that she was doing well in her life, and to find out it was the other way around was heart breaking. He saw the girl of his dreams wither away in hopelessness right before his very eyes .TK winced internally. Now he was certain he had felt no greater pain than this. He was disappointed in himself, angry at Davis, sorry for Kari, and what was worst—he looked over at his girlfriend—Catherine just made it all the more uncomfortable.

The thought of Davis came back to mind. The angry fire still hasn't died down. _"Did he hurt her?" _TK thought, feeling more resented towards Davis. He thought back to the time Davis told him about the bracelet he bought for Kari. It was an apology gift for making Kari mad. _"What kind of argument needs that kind of gift as an apology?" _he again asked himself. He tried to think about how Kari may have acted prior to meeting Davis that day. She still seemed fine then, with the happy and witty attitude he adored. He tried to remember their conversation. They were talking about how he won his bet for correctly guessing the mystery latte. He then remembered what he had seen on Kari's arm that same moment: a bruise. His eyes widened. It was a bruise that she told him it was because of falling on the floor, but that must've been a lie. (A/N: Refer to Chapter 2). He didn't even buy it from the first time he heard it from her. That bruise was far too big to have been caused by falling on the floor. Suddenly, he felt himself grow cold in shock. _"It can't be," _he panicked as his anger rose. Everything Davis told him was starting to fall into place. Davis hit Kari! Not only did he hurt her in an emotional sense, but he also _hit_ her. TK's nerves were going crazy. _"He hit her! THAT's why he bought her such an expensive gift…" _He couldn't find any other explanation for it. Of course Kari would restrain herself from revealing something as personal as that. He felt his hands clench into fists. _"That asshole. I swear, I'm going to—"_

"TK?"

Catherine's voice interrupted his devious thoughts. He snapped back to reality as if her voice was the extinguisher to his flames. He looked at Catherine. She was already carrying the grocery bags. Apparently they already paid and TK was too distracted to notice. She raised a brow at him.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah," he said quickly, not wanting her to notice his distress, "Do you need help?"

"Yes, please," she replied, handing him over some bags, "Thank you."

TK just nodded as he took the bags. They walked towards the exit, engaging in small talk as they did. He found it a bit difficult to listen to what Catherine was saying when the wrong thoughts were flooding his mind, but he didn't want to drag her into this by allowing his true emotions to show. That would be chaotic. He knew better than to tell her about all of this; she wouldn't understand. Once they made their way to the exit, TK's foot accidentally pushed aside—and almost pushed over—a basket that was in his way. He looked down and stared at the basket that stood right by the exit and near the banana stand. _"Who would leave their basket here?" _he thought in slight annoyance. He then noticed what was in the basket. In it were flour, eggs, sugar and a carton of milk that was bound to rot in the sunlight that it was under. It looked vaguely familiar. It then got to him. It was Kari's basket! He remembered briefly glancing at it before they spoke over the candy bar. _"Why did she leave it here—oh." _TK twitched with a humored and pained grin of how stupid he was to not realize it in the first place. It came to him that Kari must have just run off after she bid her goodbyes and not even buy her groceries. _"You're killing me, Kari," _he thought in exasperation as his worry for her started to increase. The idea of her driving with such heavy emotions scared him. _"Dammit. Why didn't I—"_

"You want some bananas?"

Catherine's voice startled him once again, actually making him jolt backwards a little. She looked at him with a confused expression before she let out a small laugh.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Catherine giggled, "You just looked so focused on the bananas. Do you want some? We can buy it now while the line is still short."

He stared back at Catherine in a daze. She was smiling at him with a smile so oblivious that he started to feel bad for her. There she was, the one he claimed as his girlfriend, standing there completely unaware of his thoughts that were overflowing with another girl. TK recalled how hard it was for him to introduce her to Kari earlier. He couldn't help but feel unfaithful, yet he couldn't stop the thoughts of Kari from coming into his head either. It just came in naturally, as if thinking about her was his second nature. It might as well be, considering how protective he was over her. But that was the thing that stabbed through him the most: he cared more of Kari than the girl before him. Not that he didn't have any sense of care for Catherine—because he really did care about her, one human being to another. However, it took Kari walking away for him to realize that the one girl he truly wanted to be with and care for was her. That clarified his guilt with Catherine. He was guilty for loving another person while being with her. After a month of being in denial and spontaneously getting with Catherine, he finally realized the ultimate truth: he was still in love with Kari. He was still in love with Kari, and the only place he wanted to be at was with her.

"Cat."

Catherine stopped in her tracks and turned around to face him. They were already outside. TK gave her a soft smile before speaking, hoping that his pitifulness didn't show through.

"I'll just take you home from here," TK requested, "I just remembered I have some stuff to finish, if that's alright with you…"

Catherine just stared at him and stayed quiet for a moment Her eyes were filled with surprise from the sudden change of plans, but they were also very calm. Without having to ay anything, TK could already tell that she understood. Catherine gave him a smile. It was a smile so bittersweet; TK himself couldn't help but feel apologetic. Catherine nodded.

"Sure."

(shift)

"What do you mean you can't make it?"

"I'm sorry, babe! Things just got so busy at work and I can't leave now," Davis explained apologetically, "Boss will have my head."

"I thought you requested this day off," Kari said sadly, her voice getting quieter as she held the phone closer to her ear, "It's our anniversary."

"I know, I know. And I'm REALLY sorry, Kari. But I definitely will make it up to you, I promise," Davis aid, his tone getting softer, "I won't do this again." 

Kari had to fight the urge to roll her eyes at that overused phrase. This event only happens once a year; of course it's easy to say that he won't do it again. Kari used her free hand to rub her forehead. A headache was coming along and she wanted now to end the conversation. Talking to him was just making it worst and she honestly saw that there was no point to continue bickering because they were going nowhere with the conversation. Kari just let a long sigh.

"Okay, it's fine," she rushed, feeling suddenly drained.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Davis asked, very concerned, "You know I have no power over this."

"I know. I'm fine, Davis. Really."

"I'll make it up to you, I promise." He said again.

"Okay."

"I love you, Kari. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you."

And just like that, the conversation was over. Kari slowly removed the phone from her ear and let out another long sigh. She felt exhausted; more mentally than she ever did, if anything. Kari glanced at the window and saw the night skies. It was beautiful. What a shame to have it go to waste, she thought. She looked at the mirror that was by her and frowned in an annoyed manner. She was already dressed for the occasion, which was _supposed _to be a nice dinner out. Kari almost felt stupid in her long, chiffon pink maxi skirt and white blouse that she spent an hour in frustration trying to find and put together to wear. She removed her beige, loose fit knit cardigan and slumped in her vanity's seat exasperated. Even thought she wasn't surprised that Davis bailed—since she was used to it—she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that out of all days, he flakes on their anniversary. _"He could've at least told me sooner," _Kari thought, irked at the act that she had been the one to call him first, _"Did he forget?" _Kari felt her body go still at that word. _Forget_. Her earlier guess of TK forgetting about her haunted her once again. Kari laughed at herself bitterly. _"First TK, and now Davis." _She then brought her legs up, held them close and rested her head on her knees. She gazed at the ground lifelessly, starting to once again feel the emotional numbness from before. Running into TK, meeting his girlfriend, Davis canceling their plans—so much had happened over the last couple hours and Kari was just to exhausted from it all. It was hard to keep up. It was like running an emotional marathon. Kari's body weakened. The fatigue was catching up to her. She felt her body grow more sluggish and relaxed by the second. She knew sleep was going to take her and perhaps that was just what she needed: a temporary escape from reality. But she couldn't stop the final thought that floated it's way back into her mind before the peak of slumber: _"I must be really easy to forget about."_

DING DONG!

Kari jolted up, nearly falling out of her seat from the sound. It was the doorbell. _"Who could that be?" _Kari wondered as she stood up, _"Maybe Tai forgot his keys again?" _Kari grabbed her cardigan before she left her room and put it back on as she walked towards the door. She was sure that she wasn't expecting any visitors, and then she remembered that Tai was working over-time, so it couldn't be him. As she unlocked the door and pulled it open, she then realized that she should have peeked through the door hole first. But it was too late. She opened the door and before her stood the guy she least expected.

It was TK. He looked down at her. His face was slightly flushed but still all the more serious. His gaze was intense. She couldn't move. She felt frozen on the spot as if it was his deep, blue stare keeping her grounded. Her heart started to race not just because of being in his presence, but also because of how handsome and calm TK was able to look in such a strange situation. She grew nervous and more confused on why he came. She was torn between actually wanting him here and desperately wanting him to leave. She didn't know how to face him. She didn't know what to say. The old feeling of once having so much to say to him just vanished. She finally had the opportunity to say what she's wanted to tell him, but him physically being there made her forget her words. Kari was tongue-tied. Feeling like her heart was at her throat, she found it difficult to speak. Fortunately—or unfortunately, Kari couldn't tell—TK broke the silence.

"Can we talk?"

**TBC **

**AH! Readers, I'm please to say that this marks my longest chapter! Did you love it? Dread it? Either way, I want to express my gratitude that you read it! I want to clarify one important thing as well, before I continue on: Davis did not hit Kari, but TK believes he did. I've still been getting messages about why I'm making Davis an abuser, but he is the complete opposite. In fact, you will be getting a better insight on Davis' character in the upcoming chapters; maybe even the next! He is very important and he is far more than just the inconsiderate boyfriend the story is making him to be. So please stay tuned. More secrets are to be revealed and I am beyond excited to present it. **

**Also, I don't know if much Digi fans caught this, but Catherine is actually the French girl that made a very short appearance in season 2. I remember her getting kissed on the cheek by Tai and TK, and I've always dreaded her as a kid (I actually still do) because she interfered with my ships (Taiora and Takari lol!). So I guess you can say me using her as a minor antagonist calmed me down haha. **

**Anyways, I want to again thank all the people who actually take the time to read my story. I can never express enough how thankful I am, especially for everyone's reviews. Your guys' reviews are actually what keeps me all the more hyped to continue working on this story faster, so please keep reviewing! (wink wink wink) I've already started my draft for the next chapter, so I will do my best to update much sooner. Thank you again for all of the love. Til next time!**

**R&R **


	8. Delicious Surprises

Readers! Happy (super belated) New Years! I'm aware that it took me another 6 months to update, and that may have led to some readers to give up on/forget my story. But for those who still read this, saying that I am thankful is a complete understatement. Reading many reviews stating that they love my story gives me so much hope not just on this fanfiction, but on stories I am working on for real life opportunities as well (which is why I've been real busy these days). However, I assure you I will finish this, given that I already have drafts for each chapter until the last. So please stick around! It gets crazier with every chapter, and I cannot wait to share! Until then, please enjoy chapter 8! I warn you now; this is going to be a LONG chapter. But I owe that much to you all, right? :]

Thank you for reading.

**A Whole Latte Love **

By iJutsu

**Chapter 8**

Time remained frozen, as did her body. Words were still not able to find its way out of her mouth. Kari couldn't respond. She didn't know what to say! She was still in aw of his presence. As the silence progressed, so did her anxiety. She felt her heart race, her face redden, and she couldn't tell if it was the cold wind's doing, but she started to slightly shiver as well. What was he doing her? What did he want to talk about? Before she can bring up the question herself, TK spoke.

"Ah, I'm sorry," he said rather shyly, examining her vertically, "I should've asked if you had plans first."

Kari managed to blink and stare down at herself. She was still in her 'what-could've-been-an-anniversary-date-outfit'! That bummed her. Kari couldn't blame TK for assuming she had plans; what she was wearing was no lounge attire. Kari cleared her throat and tucked her hair behind her ear as she shyly looked back up at him.

"Don't be sorry. My plans actually just got cancelled," Kari responded with a humble, yet apathetic, laugh, "Would you like to come in? I could warm up some tea or—"

"Actually, I was hoping I can take you out then," TK interrupted, face getting noticeably red, "You know, so your outfit won't go to waste…"

Her heated jumped. While spending some quality time with TK sounded like a great idea, it also sounded potentially dangerous. She just ran away from him at the market earlier! Was she ready to engage in conversation with him when she could barely keep up with their small talk, let alone face him? She wasn't sure. But one thing that was for sure, however, was that she wasn't going to decline the offer. Her chance for closure was right in front of her and he wasn't going to let go, ready or not.

"Sure, I'd love to go," Kai said, sounding a bit too eager for her liking, "Let me just go back in and grab my purse."

"Oh! I almost forgot," TK suddenly said, catching her attention before she could turn around, "Here, this is for you."

TK revealed a plastic bag that he held behind his back. A moment of not realizing that his other hand was behind his back this whole time hit her briefly. He held the bag towards her. She stared at it with a raised brow, took the bag and opened it up. After a few seconds of staring at it, her eyes widened in shock. She looked back at him with the same big eyes.

"What is this?" Kari asked baffled, though already knowing what it was.

"I noticed that you left your groceries earlier at the market," he replied sheepishly, "Well, I'm pretty sure it was your basket I saw by the door…"

"It was!" Kari exclaimed surprised, "B-but why?"

TK seemed to get more nervous and shy with every question asked, "I don't know. I felt sort of bad that you went or groceries and you didn't even leave with any." His face softened with a hint of concern, "I thought that maybe something happened, so I got worried. It's the least I can do. I mean, to help in any way to make you feel better. I-If you were even feeling down, anyways!"

His cool collectiveness was soon replaced by nervous babbling, but Kari was still able to pick up what he meant. Had her despair been that obvious? She then mentally rolled her eyes at herself. Not as obvious as her leaving her groceries by the door, anyways. _"But I can't believe he actually bought my groceries!" _Kari thought, still in shock, _"Surely that cost more than $20 all together!" _She almost laughed at the memory of TK paying for her dresses and yogurt during their last 'date'. Despite really wanting to decline his generous offerings, she couldn't help but feel flattered and…happy. The fact that he went all this way to buy and give her the groceries just because he was worried and wanted to make sure she was okay made her feel so special. It was like she was no as easy to forget as she made herself to be. Kari smiled warmly at him and held the bag close.

"Thank you. This is really thoughtful of you," she then let out an embarrassed laugh, "I'm forever at your debt. You've already spent so much on me!"

"Don't worry about it! I wanted to," TK said, revealing that great smile she missed so much. It nearly melted her. She blushed.

"Let me go put these away," Kari replied rather quickly, her nerves catching up to her, "I'll be right back."

Without closing the door, she walked quickly into her kitchen and paused once in front of the fridge. That smiled almost knocked the last breath out of her. She put her free hand over her heart. It was pounding so hard. She didn't realize how nervous she was until the actuality of the situation hit her. TK was outside waiting because he wants to talk. Talk about what? There were endless things, actually, that SHE wanted to talk about. But him? She had no clue. _"What could he possibly want to talk about?" _Kari thought in great curiosity, _"About the time we spent apart?" _High hopes overwhelmed her. The idea of finally getting answers from TK himself on everything she was confused on was very uplifting, but at the same time, very nerve-wrecking. Kari questioned her courage and whether or not she would even be brave enough to ask him for any clarifications. Would he think she's crazy? Ridiculous? Out of her mind? While she was convinced that she already was, that wasn't going to stop her. Not knowing anything was driving her over the edge. She needed to know now. TK couldn't have avoided her without any reason. Kari took a deep breath as she placed the last grocery away and prepared herself for the event to come.

"Don't mess this up, Kari," she whispered to herself, "Keep calm."

She quickly grabbed her purse and made her way back to TK, who seemed to have remained in the same position from when she left him. He suddenly looked more alive when she finally approached him. Kari closed the door behind her and gave him an apologetic smile.

"Sorry if I took a while," Kari said as they made their way to his car, "So where are we going?"

"No, it's okay. It wasn't that long at all," TK reassured, also with a smile, "And I was thinking the food festival happening over at the Odaiba Park tonight."

"Oh, right! That's tonight!" Kari suddenly gleamed. She always enjoyed their city's food festivals. Dozens of food booths of cheap food and desserts—what wasn't there to enjoy? However, he face then fell at a sudden realization, "But aren't I a bit too over-dressed? I could change really quick…"

"Don't worry," TK said. Kari noticed his face getting redder as he spoke, "You look fine. Really."

They made it to the car, and much to her surprise, TK opened the car door for her. Kari stared at him. Memories of their past date started to again flood her mind. _Maybe I'm just a nice guy_, TK had said when he last opened the door for her. The memory brought a smile to her face. Kari quietly thanked him before stepping in. Once TK got in the car and started to drive off, Kari's anxiety started to once again rise. They had only been on the road for no more than two minutes, but the silence was already overpoweringly stressful. She didn't now whether she should speak first or wait for him to say something, given that he was the one who said he wanted to talk. _"So then why is he so quiet?" _Kari wondered nervously, staring at her folded hands on her lap, _"Should I say something? What should I say? Man, this is awkward. Calm down, Kari. Maybe I should—"_

"I'm sorry."

Kari tensed and then froze at TK's sudden apology. Did she hear him right? Why did he apologize? Was that why he was so quiet earlier, because was trying to apologize? Before Kari could even build up the courage to ask, TK continued.

"I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings in any way," TK said slowly, a if struggling for the right words, "You know, for not keeping in touch. O-or if you felt avoided in any way. That wasn't my intention at all and I'm really sorry."

Kari felt his apology sink into her like venom. It clenched at her throat painfully. Somehow the apology didn't suffice enough for her. She didn't quite know why. Finally hearing an apology should be everything but painful. She should feel relived, but she didn't. It then got to her. The pain came from TK admitting that he avoided her. He _knew _himself that he did not keep in touch with her, so it was as if all her worst assumptions came true. But it wasn't just pain she was feeling. Kari's hands clenched to fists on her lap. Suddenly a fire was lit up in her; a courageous, angry and hungry fire. This was the perfect chance for her to get all the answers she desperately needed. There was no backing down now.

"Yeah, why _did_ you ignore me?" Kari asked almost bitterly, "You never even responded back to my text."

Kari was aware of how childish she sounded, but she didn't care. She continued, unable to stop herself, "Do you even know how stressful it was for me to not know anything, yet still feel bad or guilty about it? It has been a very rough month for me as well, mind you. Did I do something wrong? Like, seriously. I kept thinking over and over what I may have done wrong. Like, y-you don't just say those nice things and be so kind to me and suddenly ignore me! It's not nice and…and…ugh!"

Kari let out a huff, being out of breath with her rant. Her face was warm with frustration, but she had no regrets. Despite how whiny she must've sounded, she felt a huge sense of relief to finally get that off her chest. TK was silent; speechless, she assumed. Kari couldn't blame him, really. She felt her angry fires slowly die down. With one last huff, she concluded her finals thoughts out loud.

"If you were mad at me, you should've just said so."

"I was never mad at you, Kari," TK said almost immediately, though with a quite, shocked tone.

"Then why did you avoid me?" Kari shot back, just as fast.

"Because I lov—"

She heard TK suddenly stop himself from finishing his sentence. Unfortunately, she didn't catch what he said. Thick silence overcame them. Kari looked up from her clenched hands and then straight at him. His face was noticeably red, even in the night's dim lighting. He looked awfully flustered; panicked, even. It was as if he almost spit out a secret. Kari slightly pouted. If there were anything she was the most tired of at that moment, it would be secrets. She had enough of them and she wasn't going to let this one slide.

"Because you…?" Kari pestered on without hesitation.

"Because," he said quickly, before letting out a sad sigh, "I'm a coward."

Kari blinked. That didn't sound like what he was going to say seconds earlier. But before she could give that a second thought, TK spoke up. His face looked redder than before and she noticed him slightly tighten his grip on the steering wheel.

"I was a coward, Kari," TK continued with his voice deep with shame, "I still am. It took a hell of a lot of courage to talk to you again." He then chuckled pitifully at himself, "I'm really, really sorry. To be honest, I don't really know myself why I lost touch with you and why I even allowed myself to continue to lose touch with you when you texted me. I wanted to reply, but I…I didn't…ugh. I don't know."

A once stubborn, talkative Kari was now silent. So he DID know he avoided her. This was a lot to take in and even though she asked for it, everything just came at her too fast. She couldn't find words. She wasn't at all ready as she thought she was. But she yearned for more information. Kari wanted to know more. Her curiosity was sky-high. Luckily enough for her, he continued.

"But when I saw you today at the market, I just…It hit me. How bad I felt, I mean." Kari saw his face fall into an intense look of disappointment, "I realized how wrong I was for avoiding you the way I did, especially after seeing you look so—"

"So you felt bad for me?" Kari suddenly spat out, offended with what she only assumed he was going to say.

"W-what? No, I didn't! God, Kari, please don't think that," TK replied in shock, as if he was the offended one, "The reason I…I only did this because…you see, I…damn."

TK, once at the stoplight ahead, closed his eyes and let out a long, deep breath. He looked internally exhausted trying to explain himself. Kari slumped back down in her seat a little bit and looked away from him and towards the street. She couldn't help but feel a bit bad for her sudden outburst. _"Great," _she thought sarcastically at herself,_ "Now I probably got him annoyed. Just let him finish before you assume anything, baka." _A brief moment of regret and panic hit her when she thought TK may not continue anymore, but luckily for her, he did. The light turned green and he drove off before speaking.

"Why am I so nervous right now?" TK muttered quietly to himself before speaking up, "I didn't feel bad for you, Kari. Believe me. I was just mad at myself. It was obvious I wasn't being a good friend. When I saw you today, I felt the regret and when she stare at each other for that short moment, in your eyes I saw…"

He pursed his lips. He looked troubled, from what Kari saw at the corner of her eye. It was as though he was restraining himself from saying something and searching for a better way to put it. Kari had to bite her lip to keep yet another stubborn outburst from escaping. She wished he could be more straight up with her. _"What does he mean, 'in my eyes'?" _Kari thought in confusion. Her body then winced. Now she was certain that it was obvious that she looked an emotional wreck when they ran into each other. Kari heard TK let out another long sigh. This time, she turned to look at him. If she couldn't get a clear answer from his words, perhaps she could get it from his expressions.

"I'm just really sorry, Kari," he said softly, "I'm sorry for what I did and for not being able to properly express my feelings right now. I really don't understand how to put this into words myself, actually. To tell you the truth, I've been coping with a whole bunch of…feelings that are just so alien to me and it's hard for me to get it sometimes."

Kari still remained quiet. Somehow, despite TK's distressed attempt to explain himself, she seemed to understand where he was coming from. She was the absolute same. She herself did not even understand what she felt and she'd be damned if TK were the one to ask the questions. In fact, she felt such a strong heart-to-heart connection to his apology that she couldn't find any more words to question him. Perhaps he was just as confused as she was. TK took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, Kari. I really am. And I _promise_ you" he placed emphasis on the word 'promise', "Once I understand how I feel, I'll let you know right away. I promise."

Suddenly, she felt exhausted. The strength to pester on and bug him to explain himself weakened. But despite being too emotionally drained to find her answers, she seemed content. For some reason, she felt so much truth in his words and in his apology. She sensed so much assurance in his promise that she was quick to believe him. It just felt like the right thing to do: to believe and trust him. TK sincerely sounded like he wasn't hiding anything, and he did own up and admit that he avoided her. If TK were to le about not knowing why, she'd realize it right away. Even tough she cannot be completely sure if he was going to keep his promise, she felt it in her heart that it was worth taking the risk. She wanted to trust her instincts on this one. The worry and sweetness in his voice was so genuine; his promise had to real. Her eyes didn't leave hi. She stayed quiet for a while, eyes fixed on his blond locks that glistened in the passing streetlights as they drove. Somehow, she felt her body become more relaxed. Kari couldn't help but let out a relieved sigh as she faced back forward and eased into her seat. She then let out a small chuckle.

"You better."

TK seemed to have caught the relief and slight humor in her voice, for she noticed him smile before he said, "I will. I promise I'll give you the reason when I find it."

"I'll warn you now that I take promises very seriously," Kari responded bravely, crossing her arms, "So you better keep that promise. I'll hold you accountable for it."

"Warning noted," TK chuckled, "So does that mean I'm forgiven?"

"Not until I get that reason."

"Fair enough."

Kari found herself trying really hard to suppress a huge smile that was forcing its way to her lips. Kari wanted to laugh—a joyful laugh in celebration of finally breaking the ice with TK. She felt as though a giant weight has been finally lifted off her shoulders, even though she didn't get all the answers she needed. But being able to reunite with TK and hearing his promise were good enough for now. Kari turned her head to the side window and let out her much-awaited smile. As happy a she was, she didn't want TK to see. Not only does she still have to stand her guar with him, but she also didn't want to embarrass herself. Her happy expression soon faded into a surprised one when she realized that they were pulling into a parking lot. Once TK parked, Kari cleared her throat and looked back at TK with a shy smile.

"That was quite a drive," Kari said, meaning both the conversation and the distance, "I forgot how far this park was. I think I have some gas money…"

"Don't worry about it," TK replied, stopping her hands from checking her purse, "I just fueled it up. Today will be my treat."

"TK," Kari pouted with a soft whine, "If I had a dollar for every time it was your treat, I'd be rich! Then I could use that money to pay you back. Seriously, you already drove. The least I can do is—"

Her words came to a halt when she saw TK's facial expression. Her eyes widened, her face reddened, and soon enough a twitch found its way to her brow. He was revealing her ultimate weakness: the puppy eyes! His adorable, small pout wasn't helping either.

"S-stop that!" Kari said with an embarrassed laugh, face growing warmer.

But he didn't stop. Kari shot back a playful glare. Two can play at that game.

"I'm not going to give in to that childish act," Kari sneered, crossing her arms and turning away.

Kari shifted her eyes back to him, and he was still doing the face. The puppy eyes made the blue in his eyes sparkle more than usual, causing her heart to jump. He was cute. Dangerously cute. TK then blinked a few times and she reached her limit. Letting out an exasperated sigh, she playfully pushed him away and laughed.

"Fine, fine, fine. Your treat. But!" Kari then pointed at him like a strict school teacher, "This will be the last time. Then it's my treat. Got that?"

TK smiled his ever so charming smile as his eyes glistened in victory, "Got it."

"Wipe that grin off your face," Kari exclaimed, now laughing, "I'll make sure of it. Now let's go! I need to use the restroom."

"Yes, ma'am," she heard him laugh before stepping out of the car.

Kari couldn't hide her smile. Her heart started to flutter in both nervousness and excitement—a feeling she seldom encounters. She didn't know how to handle it. Kari was just…happy. It was almost as if she and TK never separated. They were connecting as close and as fast as they were before. It gave her a content feeling that finally filled the void in her heart after so long. It was a happy feeling being with him. She missed him. She missed him a lot.

"Quick question," Kari said as she closed the door, recalling her past confusion, "Why did you suddenly decide to take me out?"

TK closed his door too and grinned at her before answering, "Remember the day you told me we didn't know enough about each other for me to treat you out, so I suggested we get to know each other then?" He then made his way around the car and towards her, and soon his grin transitioned into a more bashful one, "Well, today's the day. Let's get to know each other." (A/N: Refer to Chapter 5)

He paused before continuing, slight red forming on his cheeks, "I'd like to know more about you, Kari."

Kari's heat leaped at the sound of her name. She stared at him with surprised eyes. Kari was happy that he recalled that day—their first date—but she was also a bit ashamed that she almost forgot. A soft smile came to her face.

"Okay."

(shift)

TK watched Kari quickly make he way to the restroom as he walked behind her. He told her he'd wait outside for her, and she responded with a cute smile and another 'okay' before stepping in. Once she was out of slight, TK sat on the nearby bench a few feet away. He let out a deep breath, leaned back, and looked deeply up at the night. He couldn't seem to get Kari's pained face and words from their car ride out of his head. Their conversation lingered in his mind over and over, especially the moments where her voice cracked whenever she questioned him about his cowardly actions. He hurt her, and he regretted it so bad. He was a coward and she did deserve to be mad. As pleasing as Kari's long-awaited laugh was, he especially still couldn't erase her pained-struck face from when they reunited in the market. TK may not know the entire story as to why she was hurt, but knowing that he caused some, or most, of her pain was enough for him to feel less of a man. He was guilty. He recalled her earlier words: 'you don't just say those nice things and be so kind to me and suddenly ignore me! It's not nice!" He snorted. 'Not nice' was an understatement. He was an asshole. TK pierced his lips. So she _was _aware that he was avoiding her. TK closed his eyes tightly and let out a huff of annoyance. How much of a jerk could he be? What more, an obvious jerk. Of course she was aware! He ignored her text when she could have been potentially reaching out to him. For Pete's sake, he shut her out! Not only did she know he avoided her, but apparently, she also cherished his past kindness to her. She obviously cherished his words and actions, and disappearing from her life without any notice just proves how bad of a friend he was. Well, no good friend, for that matter. He really was a coward.

TK recalled his promise and a wave of guilt hit him. He promised he'd tell Kari his reasons why once he understands. Truth is, he already understood. He KNEW his reasons already. But he wasn't man enough to admit that the reason he stayed away was because he was in love with her. He was in love with a girl who had a boyfriend and he thought staying her friend would make things worse between them. There was no way he was going to confess his love to her now. Not like this, anyways.

TK opened his eyes and twitched in both shame and annoyance. _"What do you men 'not like this'?" _he thought irritably, _"More like, 'not ever'!" _He was in no place to tell Kari that he was in love with her. First and foremost, she was taken. Second, she wouldn't believe him. They're just now getting to know each other! Lastly, despite knowing his reason and having no doubt in his mind that he was in love with her, saying that he loves her wasn't enough. He wasn't the type of guy to propose his love to a girl without the certainty that he could take care of her. He had to know more about her, which was the initiative for today. After hearing what Matt said about Kari and her troubled past, his need to take care of her skyrocketed. He became more worried than curious. He frowned slightly, feeling the pain for her. It hurt him how a girl as beautiful and ambitious as she could ever be so sad and insecure. TK let out another sigh and closed his eyes again, remembering tat he added to her agony by avoiding her. He felt mad at himself. He had to redeem himself today and make up for his mistakes. But most importantly, he had to get the closure and answers he needed about her past and her boyfriend—especially her boyfriend, who he worries is both physically and emotionally hurting her and that thought alone made his blood boil.

Suddenly, Kari's smiling face came to mind. Then her joyful laugh from earlier rang blissfully in his ears. A subtle smile of his own soon found its way to his lip. It has been a while since he saw her like that. He missed it. He missed her. Her smile and charm could make any man's heart melt. And seeing her today in her gorgeous outfit and seeing the cute, flustered expressions she made was enough to make him melt completely. Matt's and Yolei's words from a month ago then came to his head of Kari being emotionally unstable and negative, disrupting his happy thoughts. A light bulb lit up in his mind. It was then he decided on a very important goal: to call her beautiful before the night ends. Because a girl like her deserved to her it, especially after everything she has gone through.

"TK?"

TK opened his eyes at the sudden call of his name only to see Kari's face hovering over his from behind the bench. She blinked at him, eyes locked on his. TK blushed and immediately stood up to face her. His heart was suddenly pounding. He was just now thinking of how beautiful she is, and then she just pops out of nowhere and reveal her pretty face to him—face to face, even!—as if to validate his thoughts. _"Geez," _he thought with an embarrassed and apathetic laugh, _"Talk about getting caught off guard." _He made his way around the bench to her and let out that embarrassed laugh he had just used in his head.

"Sorry," he said, though not clearly certain on what he was apologizing for, "Did you just finish?"

"Yeah," she replied with a shy smile that son turned into a worried expression, "Are you alright? You looked like you were sleeping. Are you tired? I feel bad that you went all this way to—"

"N-no, Kari. It's fine!" he reassured quickly, not wanting her to feel guilty, "I wanted to take you here. I'm not tired at all. I was just doing some thinking."

"Sounds dangerous. You sure I shouldn't be worried?" she asked with a raised brow and half grin.

TK caught her humor and grinned back, "I'm very sure. Nothing to worry about here, except…" His eyes then trailed down to her hands that were behind her back, "What's behind your back there? Now should I be worried?"

Kari blinked in sincere confusion, but then lit up once she understood. She put out her hands to reveal that it was dripping wet and let out a bashful laugh, "The restroom sinks weren't working, so I ran off with some soap and used the drinking fountain right by you. That's when I found you." Her face then turned red, "I know that sounds weird, but I refuse to leave restrooms without washing my hands and—"

"I understand, calm down and breathe," TK laughed, holding out his arm to her, "Here, use my sleeve to dry your hands. Wouldn't want to ruin your outfit."

"Are you sure?" Kari hesitated, "But your jacket…"

"What's this?" TK asked humorously, feeling the sudden need to tease her, "Has madam finally learned to soften up?"

TK saw her glare, blush, and pout at him. It was such a cute reaction; he had no regrets teasing her. She then grabbed his arm a bit forcefully, snapping him back to his senses. Sort of.

"As if!" Kari huffed as she wiped her hands on his sleeve vigorously, "You're lucky I'm not asking you to go to the restroom to get me actual tissues. Now let's get going. I didn't agree to go out just to stand around!"

She finally let go of his arm and childishly went ahead of him towards the entrance to the park. TK laughed and followed along, fixing his sleeve as he did so. They finally entered the park and were instantly allured by the smell of sweet and savory foods and loud, happy voices coming from and around the food booths. TK looked ahead. There were lines of booths to their left and right. Everything looked delicious. He caught up and walked along side her, hands placed sheepishly in his jacket pockets. He turned his head slightly towards her to see that she was looking ahead with a gleam in her eye and an excited smile. TK's face grew a bit warm. She was so adorable. She then lightly bit her lip and her eyes were fixed upon a booth just a few feet away! TK looked to where he was eying. It was a takoyaki booth! He looked over to her and she was still staring at it. She put her hand over her stomach and bit her lip again. TK couldn't help but chuckle, knowing what she wanted to say but won't say it. So he said it for her.

"I hope you came on an empty stomach," TK chimed, causing her to snap back to life and look at him, "Have you had dinner?"

"Ah, no, not yet," Kari replied a bit quietly, fidgeting with the end of her cardigan.

TK studied her movement and expression. The light from her face suddenly dimmed down as she uncomfortably tugged at her clothing. It then occurred to him that he told him earlier that her plans were suddenly cancelled. Her outfit was definitely semi-formal as well; perfect for a dinner date. He then slapped himself in his mind. She was supposed to have dinner with somebody! Most likely Davis, but he only assumed. However, no matter whom it was with, it's obvious that it upset her. And he just _had to_ bring it up again. _"Smart move," _TK thought sarcastically. He cleared his throat and laughed humbly.

"Figured as much. I always thought all you ate or drink is coffee and cake," he joked as if to cover up for his last remark, but then got a bit more serious with concern, "You got so much thinner since I saw you last. Are you eating at all?"

"Y-yes!" Kari stated immediately, looking embarrassed, "I've just been busier than usual."

TK didn't buy it. It concerned him that she hasn't been eating. It was so obvious. It's damaging to both her physical and mental health, and he just couldn't let that be. His worry kept growing. What could she possibly be going through? Now taking care of her seemed like the best and obvious thing to do. By this point, they stopped in their tracks where the takoyaki stand was. TK looked at her and once again, the adorable gleam in her eyes lit up. His worry seemed to ease as a calm smile found its way back to him.

"Come, let's get some takoyaki," TK said with a mile, "I saw you staring it down since we entered. How many do you want?"

"Eight pieces, I'm famished," Kari said a bit too eagerly.

"Alright, eight it is."

"Oh, no you don't!" Kari exclaimed, grabbing his arm to halt his hand that was reaching for his wallet, "You've treated me enough. At least let me pay for my food!"

TK stared at her solemnly for a moment and then snickered, "Who said I was going to treat you?"

Kari stared at him with the most dumbfounded expression—one that took a lot of will power for him not to laugh at because it was just so adorable—and then glared at him right after. She quickly let go of his arm, crossed hers, and looked to the side childishly as if to hide her embarrassed blush.

"Whatever!" she scoffed.

TK just grinned as he took his place in front of her. Almost immediately, the elderly man working behind the booth handed him a medium-sized pin with a smiling cartoon octopus wearing an apron on it. TK looked at the old man questionably and the old man just smiled back.

"Every 50th customer gets a pin!" he explained while flipping the takoyaki on the grill, ", how many would you like, son? 50 cents each!"

" It's cute," TK said with a kind laugh, "And 14 pieces, please."

"14? You have quite the appetite tonight, huh?" the man joked.

"Oh, no, it's actually for her and I," TK smiled, pointing to Kari who was at his side, "8 for her, and six for me."

"Wait, what?" Kari chirped in, shocked. TK felt her sharp stare but he didn't turn to look at her. He just made sure his mischievous smile was visible to her, which it was because he soon felt her glare.

"Ah, so it's the young lady with the appetite, then!" the old man joked again with a smile, as he transferred the freshly made takoyakis onto its separate plates, "Good, you are too small. You must eat. $7, please."

Before Kari could even begin to protest, TK quickly grabbed his wallet, pulled the exact mount, and gave it to the man. Just as quickly, he then grabbed both the plates, walked out of the line, and as soon as he found a spot away from the passing crowd, he slowly turned around to face Kari. He gave her an apologetic smile, but was greeted back with a glare and pout.

"I thought you said you weren't going to pay!" Kari explained, exasperated.

"Force of habit," TK responded with a soft smile as he handed her the plate, "Plus, it has been a while, and I miss doing it, so…"

Kari's expression softened a bit after hearing that. It relieved him; how less mad she looked. He just hoped his words touched her in a sense where she realized that he truly does miss her. He missed her random, cute, and even grumpy, expressions. Hence, why he paid for her in the first place. Any expression of that kind was better than the sad, heart-wrenching ones he received from her earlier today; the ones that he's to blame for. Kari took the plate and looked at hi. Even though she was still pouting, there was gratitude in her eyes.

"Thank you so much, even though you're increasing my debt with you," she said with a slightly humored smile, "I'll pay you back one of these days."

"Kari, there's no need to pay me back. I wanted to give you those things."

"But still," she started before her pout returned. She looked sheepishly to the side and started mumbling, "Plus, if I had paid before you, I would've got the octopus pin instead…"

TK blinked and gave her a confused look. His confused expression soon turned into an amused one when he realized what she was talking about. She was jealous that he got the pin and she didn't. He couldn't stop the smirk that came to his lips. Kari was adorable. Childish, but still adorable, nonetheless. He pulled out the pin from his jacket pocket with his free hand. Then he placed his plate on the bench next to him before taking a few steps to stand in front of her. Before she could speak, TK proceeded to carefully pin the octopus on her cardigan, right below her right shoulder. Once it was secured, TK took a step back a smiled at her. She looked at him with her big, confused eyes that he adored.

"There, it's yours," TK grinned, ruffling her hair before stepping back and picking up his plate, "Don't cry now."

"I wasn't to cry!" Kari huffed as she fixed her hair, face red. She then touched the pin and smiled genuinely at him, "Are you sure I can really have it?"

"By all means! Besides, that thing would've been lost in my car or room in day's time. Might as well give it to someone who likes it."

"I love it," Kari gleamed, "Thank you!"

"Gratitude from you is like music to my ears," TK said playfully.

Kari scoffed before making her way past him and back towards the crowd, "Don't get used to it. C'mon, let's look around!"

TK followed and chuckled at her suddenly shift in personality, knowing that she's finally in a better mood. That is his intention for today, after all: to make up for the pain he had put her through. And if it took something as small as giving away the octopus pin, then so be it. They walked side by side through the festival, passing by more food stands that caught Kari's attention.

"Everything looks so good!" Kari chimed after finishing up her fourth takoyaki, "Especially all the desserts! We should get some later! Is that okay?"

"I don't mind. I've actually have been indulging in more sweets since I've met you, which is new. Usually I have more of a savory tooth than a sweet one."

"That explains your dislike in coffee, then!" Kari teased, chomping on another takoyaki, "But I didn't know that about you! Figured as much, though. Tell me about yourself!"

"I'm really not that interesting," TK chuckled, "You'll get bored."

"Try me. What's been keeping you busy?"

TK pondered for a bit before answering, "Well, I'm an English major at Odaiba University. But due to finance issues, I'm taking a quarter, maybe two, off right now. For the mean time, I've recently became a part of this internship for aspiring journalists, so I guess you can say that's what's keeping me occupied this past month. I love it, too! Everyday there seems like a day closer to my dream, which is to become both an author and a worldwide journalist."

"Ah, that's right. Matt told me about that internship you are in," Kari mentioned before stuffing another takoyaki in her mouth.

"Matt?" TK asked in slight worry, surprised by the mention of his name. Somehow, he felt as though something weird always happens when Matt is in the picture.

"Yeah, I ran into him some weeks ago and I asked about you and he told me." TK noticed her face fall slightly, but she quickly smiled as if to cover up for her unintentional second of grief, "B-but that's great! Must be fun. So you're quite the writer then, huh?"

"I'd like to think so," TK said a bit slowly; mind still occupied with her pained expression, "It's the one thing that keeps me sane, as cheesy as that sounds."

"No, I understand! I feel that way with my café," Kari smiled, and then snickered, "So you're an English major and NOT a CEO? I can't believe you lied to me! I am offended. Apologize this instant." (A/N: Refer to Chapter 5)

TK couldn't help but laugh himself. Her joking side and her sweet laugh instantly allured him away from the negative thoughts.

"My apologies, m'lady. I was just trying to impress you."

"Well, you failed!" Kari teased as she finished her last takoyaki, "However, I am impressed that you're so passionate about writing." She then turned her head towards him and gave him the upmost loving smile that literally made his heart race, "I think it's beautiful."

TK was incapable to find any words to say. He was touched, yes, but he was more in awe of her. He was smitten, but also confused. Again, how can someone so charming and so beautiful be so insecure? He could not—and did not—want to believe it. The past guilt of him avoiding her occurred once again in his heart, and suddenly he just felt the urge to hold her. He wanted to embrace her, assure her of her perfections, and take away her pain. But—his face fell—it wasn't his place and it was a damn shame that he person who _is _in that place isn't doing his job to keep her happy.

"TK, look!" Kari suddenly exclaimed in glee, interrupting his thoughts, "Ice cream! Can we get some?"

TK looked at her just to see her looking up at him with pleading and excited smile. He stared at her for a moment before letting out a chuckled sigh. He was defeated. Just when he thought he couldn't fall more in love with her, she pulls out surprise attacks like that. He'll forever be in awe of her.

"Of course."

"Yay! Let's go!" she said happily as she reached forward to grab his arm. However, she then stopped herself before she even got to touch him, "Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't realize…I'm just used to holding onto people. It's a habit that grew from all my other friends. I don't mean to invade your personal space or anything!"

She looked so flustered; face reddened and all. He blinked in slight confusion. He had already been used to her holding on to him, given the fact that she held onto him most of the time during their first 'date'. Did she feel uncomfortable doing that again with him? He couldn't blame her. After he had ignored him for a month, it would be typical for Kari to assume that he wouldn't be okay with it. That idea made him want to slap himself for the millionth time. _"Of course she'd be more shy after you neglected her," _he thought angrily to himself. But at least now he knew why it was so easy and casual for Kari to hold onto him in the first place. While that conclusion did make him feel a little less special, he was relieved to finally get some closure out of it. He was finding out more about Kari, and that alone was satisfying. After all, he did say that he was going to get to know her today. With a welcoming smile, he let out his arm to her.

"Do what you're used to," TK encouraged, "I'm here to get to know you better, too, remember?"

Kari stared up at him again with her baffled look. She looked at his arm, back at him, and then back at his arm. From what he was able to catch from her quick glance, her eyes showed both eagerness and hesitation. She slowly reached for his arm and linked theirs together. A warm sensation found its way to his cheeks. Even though he was the one to encourage it, them being that close was still nerve-wrecking. It has been a month too long since they've been this close physically. But if this is what she's used to then he must get accustomed to it. Not that he minds, anyways. They made their way to the ice cream stand, and instantly the sparkle returned to Kari's eyes. Kari threw away her empty takoyaki plate and TK did the same. They then examined the menu and the concept was to choose an ice cream flavor and two toppings of their choice.

"I'll get the strawberry ice cream with almonds and fudge," Kari suddenly ordered, startling him, "One scoop in a cup, please."

"You got it," smiled the woman behind the stand before looking at TK, "And you, sir? Are you two paying together?"

"Yes," TK said immediately before Kari could refuse, "I'll just get one scoop of vanilla ice cream with almonds and fudge. In a cup as well, please."

Kari smacked his arm with her other hand as the woman proceeded to take their order, "I was going to pay!"

"Ah, the gratitude was short-lived," TK teased, reaching for his wallet, "Don't worry about it, Kari."

Before Kari could say anything in her defense, the woman handed them each their orders.

"Here, for the lovely couple," said the woman cheerfully, "And don't worry about paying. It's on the house. Enjoy your night!"

"Wow, thank you!" TK said gratefully with a slight bow before leaving the line and heading back into the crowd, "See, Kari! Looks like there was nothing to worry about after all."

TK turned his head to look at her and then noticed her infamous spaced out expression. Although, this time, her cheeks were also noticeably red and she looked deep in thought. Even through her cardigan sleeves, TK suddenly felt her arms getting warm. He raised a brow. What could she be thinking about?

"Kari, are you alright? You're warming up," TK asked concernedly, loosening his arm a bit, "Am I making you too warm or?"

"N-no, it's fine!" Kari breathed, linking their arms back together, "It just got a bit warm with all those people around. Let's head to those benches by the lake, there. I want to eat my ice cream in peace."

TK looked ahead and saw a lone bench a few meters ahead past the festival. It was overlooking the park's peaceful lake, which made leaving the festival crowd seem all the more tempting. He felt Kari's hold on tighten, causing his heart to race. This girl is completely unaware of the effects she has on him. He examined her expression on the down low as they walked. She still looked deep in thought; worried even. TK frowned. What he would give to know what's on her mind. He then realized that this was the perfect chance to get to know and understand her. Of course he does not expect her to completely open up and provide her whole life story today, but whatever he could get out of her to make her feel a bit better will suffice. He just wanted to help in any way that he could. The two finally reached the bench and after what felt like way more than five minutes, their hold was released. They sat down on the bench fairly close to each other and once Kari was settled, she let out a happy sigh of relief.

"Finally!" she smiled as she scooped up some ice cream, "I've been craving this!"

"Keen for strawberries, I assume?" TK chuckled before scooping his own.

"Yup, very! It's my favorite fruit," she then turned her heads towards him and grinned, "One important thing that you should know about me is that I love anything sweet. I have a sweet tooth almost every hour so beware!"

"I'll keep that in mind," TK grinned back and resumed fiddling with his spoon. He had to ask her now, or else he'll never get to. Keeping his eye on his cup, he—to make it more casual—spoke up and said, "Tell me more about yourself. I'd love to know more about you."

From the corner of his eye, he noticed Kari, who was once still looking at him, turn her head back towards the lake. He mentally winced. Had he come off too strong? Surely there was no harm in asking such a casual question. But her silence made him doubt that. For a second, he almost regretted it, but then she finally spoke.

"There's really nothing interesting to share about me," she said with a small, sad laugh.

"That's exactly what I said earlier when you asked, but you still found me interesting," TK said encouragingly, "Try me. What are your likes and dislikes?"

A moment of awkwardness hit him briefly, given that he did sound a bit like an interviewer. Fortunately, she answered soon enough to let that feeling sink in.

"Well, I like cute and happy things, as you probably already know."

"Like?"

"You know, stuff that make people happy," she replied. TK turned his head and noticed a faint smile as she continued, "I guess you can just say that I like, no I LOVE, anything that triggers happiness. Be it the material things or the simple things, like…kindness and selfishness. I think simplicity is the most beautiful thing there is."

TK stared at her in complete awe. He was speechless. That was definitely not the answer he expected. It was even better. There were no better words to express how genuine this girl was than what she had just said. It made him admire her so much more. To him, she was the epitome of a simple beauty. She was the most beautiful thing there is. A sudden warm feeling came through to his heart when he recalled what she had said to him when they first met. He found himself smiling.

"That's why you made your café, right?" TK remarked, eyes still fixed on her, "To make people happy?"

Kari turned her head to face him and their eyes instantly locked. His heart thumped. They were so close. Her eyes slightly widened and a blush formed on her cheeks before she spoke.

"You remembered!" she exclaimed happily, though with a shy laugh, "I'm a little embarrassed."

"Don't be! I think it's great."

"Thank yo," she smiled as she turned her head and focus back towards the lake. Her tone and smile then softened, "Anything opposite of that are my dislikes. Basically anything that makes others sad or uneasy is my biggest peeve. I fear horrible feelings, actually."

"Fear?" TK repeated softly. He found that word choice a bit weird.

"Yeah. I'm legitimately scared of feeling anything that isn't a good or happy feeling," Kari clarified sadly, "I don't know how to cope with it very well once bad feelings hit me."

Her tone was just so dispirited. He just wanted to drop everything and hold her. _"What does she mean 'she doesn't cope with it very well'?" _He thought in great concern. While having a legitimate fear of feeling down was confusing to him, it was still something to worry about. Before he could get into deeper thought, she spoke up. But this time, more assertively.

"I don't understand it sometimes, though!" Like, I don't like getting complimented, or praised or admired…Things like that are what usually makes people happy and that makes me happy when they're happy but when it's towards me, it makes me sad. I hate how I don't even really know why it doesn't make me happy, but it doesn't, but I really, really, wish it did and…it makes me feel alone because I can't even explain this feeling to others and…and…ugh."

Her voice cracked and immediately TK realized she was about to cry. Intense worry waved over him, but before he could even do anything about it, Kari cleared her throat and laughed it off.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me. I probably didn't make sense," Kari laughed again and stuffed some ice cream in her mouth, "So yummy…"

For a moment, he felt so helpless. The fact that she felt alone got to him the most. She was in pain and he was just a sitting duck. TK hurt for her. He'd much rather have her cry than let out those insincere laughs when she's actually hurting inside. It made him think back to Matt and Yolei's words of her being awfully insecure and emotionally unstable. The story Matt ad told him about Kari running away haunted his mind. Was that what she meant by not being able to cope with negative feelings very well? Were her insecurities so deep that it made her resent anything positive about her? Her legitimate fear of unhappiness was a bit clearer to him now. And what more, he contributed to her unhappiness! The state she was in when they reunited where she looked broken and tired was probably her way of coping with the situation of him ignoring her. That thought made him so angry at himself. It ached his heart to even think about what else Kari may have gone through to get at this point. Clearly, there was a side to Kari—a much darker side—that he has yet to know. It was much deeper than what he anticipated, and it was saddening how she, as beautiful as she is, feels this way.

"I'm sorry," TK blurted out, incapable of keeping his thoughts in any longer.

"Sorry?" Kari repeated in confusion, facing herself towards him now, "For what?"

"For making you unhappy during our time apart," he said bitterly, mad at himself, "It must've been hard on you and I'm sorry. I know we aren't even talk about that right now, but…"

He then turned his body to face her as well before continuing, "You should let it out, Kari. I know I can't do much, but I'm willing to do whatever I can. Even if it's just to be an open ear. I'm here for you and I want you to know that."

Kari stayed quiet and just stared at him deeply with her big eyes. He must've caught her off guard, but he had the strongest need to say those things and to apologize. She sounded so hurt, and he wanted to somehow assure her that he'll be there to make things better. He wanted to make up for his mistake by swearing to always be there for her. There was no way he was going to let her go through this alone. Her eyes remained locked with his, though this time it glistened with a tear waiting to fall. With his courage still at its peak, he reached over and softly held her free hand that rested on her lap. Kari blinked in shock, causing the single tear to fall. She blushed but before she could laugh it off, which TK predicted she would, he spoke up.

"Can't always be lost in space, space cadet. It's dangerous," TK chuckled with a warm smile, "I'm always here to listen, okay? Remember that."

Kari giggled—probably at the sound of that nickname—and pulled her hand away to wipe the tear line off her face.

"Okay," she replied quietly, though with a thankful smile, "I will."

"Good," TK replied back relieved.

"Catherine must be so lucky to have you," Kari suddenly brought up quietly, now throwing him off guard. Her tone fell, but her thankful smile still remained, "You must be taking good care of her. You're so kind."

TK couldn't find any words to say. How did Catherine get into this? The sound of her name traveled through his body like ice water. It wasn't pleasant. For some reason, instead of feeling touched by Kari's compliment, he felt odd. Guilty, even. Perhaps he felt guilty because it was though he was supposed to be taking care of Kari—the girl he genuinely likes, no loves—instead of Catherine, the girl he got together with on the worst kind of whim. It felt like it was his duty, and he wasn't doing a very good job. But that's the thing: it _wasn't_ his duty. He just declared it is because he loves her. The duty wasn't his, but instead, it was Davis'.

Davis. His name went through his system colder than Catherine's did. Davis wasn't doing that great of a job either. In fact, he wasn't doing his job at all, given how damaged Kari seemed. That made his blood rise. He then recalled his past prediction that Davis may be hurting her both physically and emotionally. That made his blood rise even more. Before he could allow that to take a toll on him, Kari spoke.

"I wish my relationship was more like this," Kari said gently with a sweet smile and humble shrug, "More…simple. It's so easy to talk to you. I'm glad."

"Davis, right?" TK again blurted out, unable to hold back his angry thoughts on the guy.

Kari's smile slowly faded. The glee in her eyes simmered down and was replaced with a look of both confusion and shock. That expression puzzled him. Why did she look uneasy? Before he could make a remark about that, Kari broke their eye contact and shifted back forward to face the lake.

"Yeah," she responded, voice small.

Did the mention of his name bother her? Does this topic bother her, rather? Her tone was similar to when she answered _'good' _the time he asked how she and Davis were doing at the market—sad and insincere. TK barely knew the guy, but at this point, his liking of him was at a minimum. _"How can Davis allow her to be this way?" _TK thought in exasperation. Granted, he knew it couldn't possibly be just the boyfriend's fault, but this was ridiculous. She shouldn't be this sad, this scared, or this insecure, especially for a girl with many loved ones and early success. TK couldn't take his eyes off her. She was fiddling with her spoon, mixing the semi-melted ice cream in her cup. For a quick moment, TK thought carefully on what to say. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable, but he didn't want to chance the topic either. No matter how tough it was, he needed his answers. There was no way he was gong to end the night without any closure.

"I met him. Davis, I mean," TK started slowly, eyes still on her, "A few days after I met you, actually. But I didn't know he was your boyfriend."

Kari remained quiet. She still fiddled around with her spoon, but now her eyes shifted away from the lake and into her cup. TK sighed. She didn't have to say a word for him to understand how she was feeling. It was then he knew he couldn't bring up his accusations just yet. Instead, without hesitation, he reached over and placed his hand softly over hers once again, causing her hands to halt. She looked at him. The moment their eyes locked, TK gently caressed her hand with his thumb and spoke.

"Look, Kari," he started off, voice with worry, "I don't really know the guy, but I really do hope he treats you well because you deserve to be happy."

Kari was still quiet, but her eyes remained fixed on his. He saw many emotions in her eyes, so immediately her silence was understood. Her eyes did the talking, and even though there was fear in her eyes, there was also gratitude. TK smiled kindly and gently squeezed her hand.

"Again, don't forget that I'm always here for you if you ever need me. I won't make the same mistake again."

"Promise?"

TK blinked in surprised. That was a quick response. Kari hasn't spoken for minutes, and when she finally does, it's to engage in a promise. Not just any promise, but a promise stating that he won't ever hurt her again. And not only did she convey that she was actually listening to him, it was also very clear that this promise is now a very serious matter to her. After seeing this vulnerable side of her, he understood why. Her eyes were pleading him. That look she gave him pulled harshly at his heart. He couldn't afford to hurt her again. In that very moment, he knew what to say. He swore to himself and to the entire world that he will never go back on this promise. Never.

"I promise."

After what seemed like forever since he seen it last, Kari finally let out a happy—small, but still happy—smile. She nodded as her response. TK, too, smiled and slowly released his hand from hers. Suddenly, midway into pulling his hand back, he felt an embarrassed blush form on his cheeks. He didn't realize how prompt he was to touch her earlier. He grabbed her hand so easily…twice! That didn't make her uncomfortable, did it? TK looked at her once again to check, only to see that she was still smiling and at ease. He let out a silent sigh of relief. The last thing he would want is to invade her personal space. Kari caught his glance and then grinned.

"Let's head back to the carnival," Kari said eagerly, "Look, they're giving out those firework sticks! Let's get one!"

After stating so, she stood up and let out her arm. TK glanced up at her. Her beauty was literally shining from the moonlight and the soft, glistening lights reflecting off from the lake. She smiled again and it was more certain to him now than ever that there was no greater beauty than hers. TK was love struck; there was no denying that. He was in love with her, and even though he can't have her, the promise he just made now became the most important thing to him. He _will_ take care of her at all costs. TK was becoming the epitome of crazy love, but he didn't care. TK smiled back at her, stood up and willingly linked his arm with hers.

"As you wish."

A few fun-filled hours later, the night at the food festival slowly came to its end. TK hadn't indulged in any other food after the ice cream. Kari on the other hand, stuffed herself like there was no tomorrow. Immediately after the fireworks, Kari dragged him straight back to the booths and tried all the food that appealed to her, which was most. He was glad to finally see her eat, though. The aura became much livelier between them once she got her food fix, and he was very glad for that. Kari deserved a good time, and that fact that it shows made him feel successful.

"Ugh, I'm so full," Kari groaned and stretched as they made their way back to the car, "Why'd you let me eat so much?"

TK laughed, "In my defense, I always asked if you were still hungry and you said yes each time."

"But you didn't stop me!"

"You wouldn't have listened."

"…True."

They both laughed and soon they reached the car. TK opened the door for her and luckily for him, she didn't resent his gentleman-like gestures. She was probably too tired to nag him about it. Once TK got himself situated in the car, Kari shifted herself towards him and looked at him tiredly.

"Is it okay if I adjust my seat? I want to lay down."

"By all means," TK responded, already driving out of the park.

"Thank you," Kari said with a yawn as she pushed her seat and laid down facing the door, "I had a lot of fun today."

"Likewise," TK smiled, "Most fun I've had in a while, actually."

"I'm glad," Kari replied with another yawn, voice getting quieter, "Thank you again for today, TK. I'm very happy that we were able to speak again…and thank you for listening to me rant…I'm very grateful…"

Her voice was trailing off as she spoke. It was obvious that she was tired, but TK was still able to catch what she said. It warmed his heart how happy he was able to make her, but at the same time, it reminded him why she was unhappy in the first place.

"Remember your promises," Kari murmured softly, as if reading his mind, "Never avoid me again and I still want that reason…promise?"

"I promise," TK swore immediately with hesitation.

Kari mumbled something that was a bit inaudible, but he assumed she thanked him. He said her name softly after, but there was no response. She dozed off into slumber, and he was able to tell with her soft snores. He quickly glanced at her. Her back was towards him, thankfully. If she were facing him, he'd be too distracted by her beauty to drive. TK looked back towards the road and sighed, remembering the promises. He almost forgot the first promise he made, regarding him telling Kari the reason why he avoided her once he understands. He then recalled that he'd already broke that promise by already knowing his reason but was too much of a coward to actually confess it. Obviously that didn't make him feel any better about himself, but regardless, it wasn't his place to confess. She's a taken girl. It wouldn't be fair to her if he confessed his love, and it'd be very inconsiderate on his part. He didn't want to add any more problems onto Kari's plate. The second promise, however, he had complete power over. Not only did he make a promise to never avoid her again, he vowed to always take care of her. There was no way in hell that he was gong to let Kari look that miserable again; with or without Davis' help. Speaking of Davis, he remembered how uneasy Kari seemed to be whenever TK mentioned him. It showed earlier at the festival and even at the market when they reunited. Celarly there had to be something odd between those two and their relationship if Kari doesn't ever seem happy to talk about him. That idea angered him. Any idea that led to Kari's misfortune angered him, actually. That made him even more eager to stick to his promise, and at this point, he swore he'll never break it.

But first, he had to make amends with his own issues before engaging to fix hers. Thinking of Davis then made him think of Catherine. He frowned. He was no better person than Davis for being with a girl he doesn't even like. TK needed to fix that and he needed to fix that soon.

(shift)

Kari felt herself get slightly shaken awake from a hand on her shoulder. She slowly opened her heavy eyes. Once her vision cleared, she noticed she was still facing the car door. Kari's eyes widened a bit and she blushed, suddenly realizing the situation. She sat up clumsily and spun around to face the driver's seat. TK stared at her just as surprised. She looked at the blond boy apologetically.

"I'm sorry! I didn't realize I fell asleep on you," Kari said groggily with a bashful laugh.

"No need to be sorry. It was a long drive back because of traffic anyways."

"How long was I asleep?" Kari yawned and began to stretch.

"About an hour, I'd say."

Kari froze midway into her stretch and stared at him baffled, "An hour? But the park is only 15 minutes away. Was traffic that bad?"

"Oh, no, we actually got here about 30 minutes ago," TK replied with an embarrassed chuckle, "I just didn't want to wake you up right away."

Kari's arms slowly fell back to her side, but her baffled eyes remained straight on him. She assumed they had just arrived at her place! Clearly she thought wrong and what more, TK tolerated her taking up his time just to sleep! Was he watching and listening to her sleep? She blushed at the thought. She felt so embarrassed.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" Kari asked, covering her face timidly, "I feel so bad. It must've been weird, I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry! It wasn't weird at all," TK reassured with a kind laugh, "You just seemed so peaceful. I didn't want to bother you."

Kari's blush deepened, feeling a bit touched, but still all the more embarrassed. To play it cool, she cleared her throat and moved a strand of her hair away from her face.

"What made you wake me up now, then?"

"Your brother called and wondered where you were, since your phone died and he couldn't reach you. Asked me to take you home before he gets back or else," he then laughed, "I never knew about this side of Tai. Protective, eh?"

"Way too protective!" whined Kari.

She had just remembered that he phone died while they were at the festival. Granted, it was understandable that Tai would be worried, given that she never told him or left a memo that she was out, but for him to call TK was a bit too much! And why TK? Tai couldn't have possibly have assumed that she was with him, unless he went into 'berserk older brother' mode and called all his contacts just to find out where she was. Kari twitched annoyingly at that idea. Somehow, as sad as it was, that seemed like something he would do without hesitation. She sighed.

"Sorry about my brother. He's always like that with me," Kari aid before taking off her seat belt and giving TK a thankful smile, "Thanks again, TK. Sorry for the trouble."

"No trouble at all, Miss Kari," TK replied, taking off his seatbelt as well, "Here, let me get the door for you."

Before Kari could say a word, TK got out of the car, quickly made his way to her side and opened her door. Kari stared at him surprised, but her expression soon became a confound, yet humored, one. She let out a defeated laugh.

"Crazy how I'm still not used to that," she said as she grabbed her bag and stepped out.

"To what?"

"That you're so…old fashioned."

TK chuckled, "Again, I like to see it more as being a gentleman. We still exist, you know."

"Now that's even crazier!"

They both laughed and then made heir way towards the house. As they walked, a sudden sad—and very unwelcoming feeling—overwhelmed Kari. It just hit her that their date was finally over. Her face reddened at that word: date. Was this even a date, or just a reunion between two friends? Regardless of what it was, she was genuinely bummed that her time with him today was coming to an end. The night went by so fast. She hasn't had that much fun in a while, and it only made her realize how much she did miss him. She then recalled the ice cream lady referring to them as a couple, and TK didn't say anything to correct her. Maybe he didn't notice, but it triggered a fantasy that made Kari feel a bit…guilty.

Kari smiled sadly. While it was wonderful to finally be back in each other's lives, her feelings about everything else were all out of whack at this point. TK revealing that he knew Davis was the biggest shocker. She should've saw it coming though. What bothered her the most was the question as to why she wanted to keep Davis a secret from TK in the first place. It all seemed so shallow on her part. She was confused about everything. About Davis, about TK, about herself—it was all so overwhelmingly stressful to figure out.

She was happy at the moment, but at the same time, she wondered if she was happy for the wrong reasons. First, hanging with TK made her forget about her feud earlier with Davis. That itself made her happy that her plans with Davis didn't fall through, but was that really a good reason to be happy? She was happy to avoid her boyfriend by hanging out with a guy she missed instead, let alone a guy he let her mind go crazy for during their time apart. Suddenly the logic in that faded away. It seemed borderline unfaithful and that was no reason to be happy. Kari then mentally slapped herself in annoyance. _"I'm not being unfaithful!" _Kari thought defensively, _"TK was just being a good friend for taking me out…a really good friend." _Kari smiled, remembering earlier festivities. TK was just so kind-hearted and welcoming. Even though she didn't open up much, she still appreciated how willing he was to get to know her and listen to her vent. His apologizes sounded very sincere as well, along with the promises he made to her. It flattered her because TK was the first person to ever take promises so seriously at initiation. That must mean something, right?

All of a sudden, before she got to the door, TK grabbed onto her hand. She stopped in her tracks and turned to face him. TK's face was a bit red, and his expression seemed a bit…flustered? Shy? Kari couldn't tell. His touch was also a bit warmer than usual. Kari blinked. He appeared to be nervous, and that made her worry. Perhaps he was also in deep thought. She opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, but he beat her to it and spoke up first.

"Kari," he started seriously as he looked into her eyes, "I just want you to always remember that I'm here for you. I-I know that I keep saying this, but I mean it. Whenever you're down, mad or even happy—I'm all ears. Just talk to me, okay?"

With his gaze deepening, he took a deep breath and said, "I don't ever want you to feel alone."

TK was still nervous; she felt it in his stare and in his touch. Kari remained frozen, spellbound by his gaze and his words. He really was doing all he can to support both his apology and promise. She felt so touched. TK really wanted to take care of her. His words and actions thus far have supported that. How a guy she barely even knows is able to show her the affection she craved instead of her boyfriend was beyond her. TK was filling in the empty voids in her heart and it made her feel so happy and so loved. She felt so loved by TK. And even though it was obviously a different kind of love—since he has a girlfriend—she still cherished it. If this was all she could get, then she couldn't complain. Something was better than nothing, and this was more than enough. His proclamations of affection were more than enough. Him back in her life was more than enough. _He_ was more than enough.

"Promise?" TK spoke up and asked, still looking nervous as ever.

Kari smiled, feeling her heart in her throat, "Yes, of course."

TK then let out a huge sigh of relief, startling her. He released her hand, bent down and rested is hands on his knees; looking as if he had just ran a marathon. After a short huff, he looked up at Kari and grinned.

"I'm relieved. You took so long to respond! I got scared for a second," he laughed before straightening up, "Oh! I almost forgot. Wait here!"

Kari stared at him bewildered as he quickly made his way back to his car. He pulled something out from the back seat. Kari couldn't make it out just yet. Just as quickly, TK made his way back to her. Once he got to her, his carefree expression that she missed and adored so much found its way to his face. She also realized he had his hands behind his back. Kari stared at him with confused and curious eyes. TK grinned again.

"Close your eyes and put out your hands."

Kari raised a brow, "Should I be scared or…?"

TK gave her a 'just do it' look. Kari giggled and did what she was told. She closed her eyes and let out her hands as instructed. Before she could give herself the chance to peek, TK put the mystery item into her possession. And before TK couldn't even give her further instruction, she immediately opened her eyes. In the palm of her hands laid a stack of cookies and cream candy bars held together by a pink ribbon! There must've been about 20 bars! Kari stared at it questionably, but soon became appalled when she realized why it gave her a feeling of familiarity. A quick flashback of their encounter in the market came to mind. The reason they saw each other in the first place was because they both were after the last cookie and cream candy bar. But she still didn't understand the purpose behind the sudden gift. Kari looked up at TK. TK just smiled and answered her unspoken question.

"I felt bad for taking it from you earlier," TK said sheepishly, "Take it as an apology gift. N-not just for taking the candy, but for everything else."

"Oh my gosh," Kari breathed out, feeling her heart at her throat again, "This is so sweet. You really didn't have to. You've already given me so many gifts today."

"I wanted to, Kari," he said sweetly, "Besides, you told me it was your favorite, so I guess tis one is more sentimental…"

"Everything you've given to me is sentimental!" Kari exclaimed with a blush forming, "You've spent so much on me. You even bought my groceries for Pete's sake. But this means a lot. Thank you so much. I'll make it up to you."

"No need, Kari. Just keep your promise," TK responded, and then a humorous grin came to his lips, "And to keep coffee away from me."

"Hm. Well, that means you'll be seeing less of me because I'm always around coffee," Kari teased back.

"Damn. Can't sacrifice any time away from that, can you?"

"_Me? _Sacrifice coffee? Never."

They both laughed. The air seemed to have lifted between them, because she found it much easier to breathe. She smiled at TK and held the gift close to her.

"I should head in now. Tai will be home soon. I wouldn't want him to worry," Kari said with an apologetic chuckle, but soon smiled, "Thanks again for everything, TK. Good night."

"Kari," TK called out suddenly before she even got the chance to turn around.

Kari looked at him and immediately their eyes locked. Somehow, their stare seemed much more intense…more alluring. It sent shivers down her spine. However, it was everything but uncomfortable. It was warm. Their gaze deepened. He then let out a shy smile, causing her pulse to race. He was so handsome.

"What?" he said, slowly opening his arms, "No hug?"

Her heart skipped a beat. Those words sounded so familiar. She stared at him timidly. His open arms looked so welcoming. It then hit her—she had said those same words to him once before (A/N: Refer to chapter 5)! Kari felt her face warm up from the memory. She remembered it feeling very safe, very tender and much like…home. It felt so right and she didn't realize how much she missed it until she saw him once again with open arms. With her heart still racing, she stepped into his arms. TK instantly embraced her. His hold was so comfortable and so gentle; she didn't want to leave. It felt just as wonderful as before; perhaps even better. There was just something about being in his arms that made her feel so worthy, and that feeling was alien to her. Her heartbeat slowed down and she calmed down. Soon her arms slowly embraced around him as well, holding him closer to her. Her head rested right below his chin and on top of his heart. His heartbeat matched hers: slow and relaxed. Their heart was beating as one. Kari hugged him tighter. She then realized the truth. In that exact moment—on the porch of her home in TK's arms—she realized that her days in denial were officially over. The feelings for him were there, and they were very much alive.

Kari released her hold and stepped back, incapable of controlling her emotions. She feared the longer she held him, she'd go insane in both the mind and heart. Unable to look at him in the eye, she cleared her throat and smiled shyly.

"Good night," Kari bid once again before turning around.

"W-wait, Kari," TK called again, sounding as though he remembered something.

Kari turned back around, feeling more nervous than ever. This would mark the third time he called her. The first was to give her the candies. The second time was for the hug. Was there another surprise at hand? Kari didn't know if she could even handle it another one at this point. TK's expression was nervous again, and his face seemed redder than it was before. His gaze found its way back to her eyes, sending that warm sensation to her heart yet again.

"I know you don't like compliments," TK started, a shy smile forming as he spoke, "But I just want to say that you looked beautiful tonight."

Kari just stared at him with wide, surprised eyes. That definitely caught her off guard. That was another surprise, all right! The butterflies in her stomach were going haywire. She felt herself blushing from both embarrassment and flattery. Kari didn't know what o say! She noticed TK's face grow even redder, and his expression now looked troubled and just as embarrassed.

"G-good night, Kari!" he said rather hastily with an awkward laugh, "I'll see you soon!"

With just that, he turned around and headed to his car. With a final wave and smile, he quickly got into his car and drove off. Kari just stood there, dumbfounded. She was in a complete daze. Everything just happened so fast. It was hard to keep up with. Slowly, she went inside the house and made her way to her room. The moment she got into the center of her room, she slumped to her knees like jello. All the heavy thoughts and emotions weighed her down and it was exhausting. Just minutes ago, she was in TK's arms; arms that felt like a safe haven to her. Now she's on the floor, helpless and confused. Kari felt torn. She was torn between feeling happy and guilt. She felt happy from the obvious things: reuniting with TK, the promises and apologies, the festival, their talks, the gifts, the laughs they shared and the embrace. It was all so magical that it made her feel so whole after so long. It was as if it was TK who filled up the emptiness she has been feeling all this time.

Then came the guilt. She wouldn't have been with TK today in the first place if her plans with Davis fell through. The thought of Davis made her feel so uneasy. She couldn't even bring herself to talk about him when TK brought him up. Kari knew it was because she didn't want to talk to TK about Davis. She initially never wanted TK to even know about him, and _that _is what's killing her. Kari felt unfaithful to both herself and Davis. Dais never gave her the feelings TK was giving her. His smile and laugh didn't affect her the same way TK's did. His words and hold weren't as gentle and affectionate as TK's. Days out with Davis seemed so dull compared to her time spent with TK and for a split second, she was glad she spent her day with TK instead. TK was giving her what Davis couldn't provide. It was a shame how she as able to unintentionally get the attention she craved from TK instead of her own boyfriend.

Her heart started to hurt. How unfair this must all be to Davis if he had known what's in her head. Not only did she feel unfaithful to Davis, but to TK as well. TK has Catherine. She shouldn't be so open to TK, or do anything in general that may make his girlfriend uncomfortable. Had she gone too far with holding TK's arm the whole night and hugging him? Catherine may not like that. Kari winced. The sound of Catherine's name had the same effect on her as Davis. It was an unpleasant feeling, and it was then she knew she was jealous. She wanted what Catherine had. She wanted her beauty. She wanted her cheerful glow. She wanted to be able to see TK everyday. She wanted to hug TK. She wanted to buy groceries with TK. She wanted to be with TK whenever she wanted to. Upon listing all of this in her head, another sudden realization hit her like a bullet:

She wanted TK.

No, it was more than a mere _want. _The desire of wanting him did not come close to the feeling of _needing _him. The need was so much stronger. TK made her happy so effortlessly, and that happiness was addictive. Moments with TK made her believe that there's no such thing as struggle in her life. It's as if her insecurities and traumas cease to exist when she's with him. She loved everything about him. She loved his smile. She loved his humor. She loved his laugh. She loved the warmth of his touch. She loved how conservative and protective he was of her. She loved his company. She loved how easy it was to talk to him. She loved how she didn't feel alone or helpless or pathetic whenever she's with him. She loved how selfless he was. She loved how special and how humane he made her feel. Most importantly…

"I love him," Kari whispered, tears now falling from her eyes, "I love him."

She remained silent, but the tears wouldn't stop flowing. The truth hit her hard, and it was painful. Davis, Catherine, and TK all flashed into her mind. Guilt overpowered her. She wanted the truth, and now that she has it, she had to suffer the consequences that came with it. _She _was the wrong doer. _She _was the one at fault for falling in love with a taken guy while she has her own lover, and she had no one to blame for that but herself.

(shift)

Tai walked into his home, tired as hell from a chaotic day at work. The only thing giving him a peace of mind was the phone call he received from TK minutes ago saying that his sister is back home safe and sound. Tai removed his jacket while making his way to Kari's room. It was a habit that grew into a routine for him to check up on her and bid her good night every night, no matter how sick or tired he felt. Kari was his number one priority. She always has been.

He noticed that Kari's door was open and her lights were on. Tai raised a brow and glanced at his watch. It was almost midnight and she never sleeps with the lights on. _"What's she doing still awake?" _he thought in confusion. He walked faster towards her room.

"Kari?" he called out as he popped his head in, but soon terror came across his face once he saw her lying on the floor, "Kari!"

The moment he saw his little sister slumped on the ground, he made no hesitation to barge in. He squatted down and shook her.

"Kari?"

Fortunately, she was just asleep, for her response was a low snore. Tai let out a sigh of relief. He feared that she passed out, which to most may seem like an overreaction, but not to him. Tai reached out and gently moved a strand of her hair away from her face. His fingers trailed her cheek and immediately he noticed tear stains from her eyes to her neck. Extreme worry overcame him. It was safe for him to assume that she cried herself to sleep. _"But why?_" Tai thought, frustratingly. He didn't get into much detail with TK earlier on how their day went, but he did remember TK saying that they had a blast and that Kari ate a lot. Tai took that as very good news because he knew that Kari hasn't been eating much the past month, so her mood must've really lifted when they were together! But then what caused her to break down into slumber on the comfort of her floor? With a heavy heart and clouded mind from all the uncertainty, he carefully picked up his sister and carried her to her bed. She was fast asleep. Upon holding her, he paused for a moment to examine her features. He never noticed how much lighter she got. He remembered her being way heavier than this, and it was only recently when he carried her last. Her jaw line seemed sharper and her face appeared smaller. Her obvious stress not only took a bad toll on her mental health, but her physical health as well. It pained him to see her this way.

"Stop doing this to yourself," Tai whispered sadly as he placed her on her bed.

Once she was placed down, her hand unfolded loosely and something fell from her hold. Tai heard a small item hit the floor. He looked down and picked it up. It was a pin with a smiling octopus on it. Tai stared at it weirdly for a brief second, and then placed it on top of her bedside drawer without any interest. But the moment he set it down, Kari made a sound and startled him.

"I love him," she mumbled groggily, clutching back her hand into a fist and holding it close to her heart, "No…"

Tai was used to Kari sleep talking, but those words and her movement definitely caught his attention. _"Love…him…no?" _Tai thought slowly, repeating her words in puzzlement, _"Him, who? No, what?" _He noticed her hand was on full grip, as if she was holding onto something precious. But he knew that hand was empty, because that's where the octopus pin fell from. Does she think it's still in her hand? Now that pin triggered his curiosity. Tai picked the pin back up and stared. It was just just a cheap material pin with a cartoon octopus on it wearing a chef's hat. _"What's so important about this?" _he thought, studying it. Tai then looked around the room and noticed something wrapped in a huge pink ribbon on the ground next to where Kari once laid. He set the pin back down, went towards the item, squatted by it and picked it up. _"Cookies and cream candy bars?" _The bars were secured by the ribbon wrapped around it and attached to the ribbon was a small note. Tai looked closely and read:

To: Kari

Cookies and cream = The one thing we can finally agree on

From: TK

PS: I've missed you. Sorry for being a jerk.

Tai stared at it strangely, uncertain on how to feel. He tried to piece everything together that he was aware of. First, he did find it weird that she and TK suddenly hung out today, for he remembered Kari telling him only days ago that she hasn't heard from TK for about a month. Second, Kari's strange and sad behavior has been going on for about a month as well. Third, TK got her this gift to apologize, apparently, for being a jerk and that he missed her. Tai raised a brow. Missed her? That did reveal that they did have some time away from each other. A month, assumingly. But TK apologizing for being a jerk is what got to him. Had TK been a jerk to his sister? When? Was that why they stopped talking and haven't heard from each other for about a month? The thought bothered him. _"Did they make up today?" _Tai wondered, looking at the gift, then at his sister. She was still gripping onto where the pin used to be. Tai closed his eyes and tried to recall what else TK mentioned when they spoke. TK told him they went to a…food festival! That explains the chef octopus pin. Did TK give her that pin? Most likely, given that TK also gave her the chocolates. The pin may mean something to her; something to symbolize her time at the festival since they had such a great time, according to TK. No matter what, though, it all led back to TK. Was Kari troubled all this time because of _him_?

Kari's troubled words that she blurted out in her sleep then rang through his head. _I love him…No. _If she spent the night with _TK_ and if she was holding onto something that _TK_ may have given her and if _TK_ went all this way to take her out and get her apology gifts, then her mind must surely be occupied with the thought of TK! Which means, she must be dreaming of him! Of course, Tai could only assume such a thing, but all the clues he was piecing together made all his assumptions seem very valid.

Tai's eyes widened in shock of what he just realized. If she was sleep talking about TK, then those words were directed to him! To TK! _"She loves TK?" _Tai thought in great confusion, _"B-but how? When? HUH?!" _He knew TK was in love with his sister, given the time Matt came to his house to tell him. But Kari? This was too much for him to take in. He had to give it deeper thought. But first, he had to leave the room before Kari catches him snooping. Tai quietly made his way out of her room, turning off the lights and closing her door as he did so. He let out a long sigh built up from extreme worry, frustration and confusion that he just endured in that room. Clearly, he was mistaken when he thought Kari has only been stressed out from work at the café. In his defense, that was all Kari told him whenever he asked what was wrong. But in her defense, he was sure that Kari didn't want to tell him everything because she knew he'd worry. And she's right. He was worried to the maximum. His sister did not deserve any more agony. He could only imagine what she is going through right now. She dealt with so much already in the past. He wanted to put an end to her misery, but he didn't know how. And as her older brother who cherished her more than life, there was no worse feeling.

Tai brought his attention back to the issue at hand. The clues he had just found were definitely helping clear the picture. Tai recalled the conversation he had with Matt when Matt came to his house a month ago to discuss the worry of TK being in love with Kari. Does TK still love Kari? It was clear that TK obviously had some sort of feelings for Kari if he went out of his way to do all of this for her. But what was TK apologizing for exactly? Why did it take being with TK for Kari to finally lighten up again? And if Kari had so much fun and was happy (according to TK), then why did she cry herself to sleep?

It then hit him. Everything was starting to make sense now! TK and Kari's separation must've been caused by a conflict of feelings between each other. TK has a girlfriend—a name he couldn't remember at the moment—but it was clear he still had feelings for Kari. Kari has Davis, but she seemed more attached and affected by TK's doings. Does this clarify that Kari was also in love with TK, which is why she's troubled because she's already with Davis? Had her realization of being in love with TK cause her to be at this unhealthy state of mind and body? Does she no longer love Davis? Better yet, has Davis done anything to her to make her fall out of love with him? There had to be more behind this; there just had to be.

This was too much for Tai to handle alone. He had to talk to someone about this. Someone who knows about TK and/or Kari. Someone with information. Tai walked quickly into his room, took out his cell phone and called up the first person that came to mind that he could trust. The person on the other line picked up instantly. Tai took a deep breath.

"Matt, we have a problem."

**TBC**

Holy guacamole, that was long! But exhilarating to say the least, no? I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. I owe you all this much, anyways, for all the continuous support I've been receiving.

Okay, I know I said I was going to (maybe) provide an insight into Davis' true character in this chapter, but this chapter is already long as is and I did not want to squeeze everything into it. Sure enough, though, the next chapter will reveal more about Davis and how important he is. In doing so, I will also be providing a look into Kari's (very problematic) past to also give a better understanding of her character. There are many curveballs ahead, so please stay tuned! It is all but cliché. It only gets more dramatic from here, and to share it all with you guys would be such a joyride. Please continue to read and review. There are not enough words to express my gratitude. Thank you guys so much! Much love.

R&R!


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